Nobody's Perfect
by LovingSeleneTheVamp
Summary: So. Here's the deal. This is an AU, Lilly's in her senior year, she's 17, almost 18, hates school, but felt the need to take an Advanced Progressive Music class. But...who's the new music teacher? Ms. Miley Stewart, 23, fresh from college. LILEY Woo!
1. What Was I Thinking?

So guys, new story. I hope you like it. BTW this chapter kind of sucks, because I needed it to set things up. Enjoy!

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"Ugh. I'm tired of this." I muttered, shamelessly talking to myself. It's not like anyone was awake to hear me. My mom was passed out on the other couch again, and my dad, on the other hand, was so dead nothing could turn him over in his grave. I'm sitting here, waiting for school to start, watching the same 'Where Are They Now' show I've seen six or seven times.

I would never understand how they made this show. Usually, each episode is half an hour long and about a dozen or so stars after they weren't so famous. But this hour long special is dedicated to just Hannah Montana, the teenage wonder, who broke onto the scene, stayed for years, then played her last concert on her 19th birthday. I guess she decided she was too old or something. But, because no one really knew who she was, the hour was filled with speculation and conspiracy theories. It's ridiculous. I vaguely remember Hannah Montana. She'd been the greatest thing to me. For my tenth birthday I'd gotten a Hannah Montana CD titled Best of Both Worlds. I'd plastered pictures of her to my wall, sung her songs, watched her performances, gone to 7 of her concerts. Then, when I was thirteen, she disappeared. Talk about a let down.

I checked the time on my cell phone again, relieved to see it was seven fifteen. That meant it was a decent time to leave for school, even though it didn't even start until eight. I just needed to be out of the house, and away from myself. I checked my schedule again. It's the first day of my senior year, and I'm everything but excited. I looked at the schedule. All of my teachers suck, but my fifth period Music class was going to by far be the worst. I had Mr. Chuckina, and he was by far the worst teacher ever. In our "progressive" music class, they were supposed to work with us to play real instruments, like guitars and drums. But Mr. Chuckina couldn't stand how I played my guitar. So I went to the advanced class, and the evil man he turned out to be, decided to teach that one too. He takes the fun out of music.

I walked out the front door, grabbing my book bag on the way. I remembered the good ole' days when I used to skateboard to school, but now that I had a car, I didn't have to do that anymore. I walked to the side of my car, staring hard at myself, using it as a mirror. Long khaki shorts, polo shirt, converse, same old me. I got in the car and drove to school, almost crashing at least three times on the way. I guess I wanted to avoid school so bad, I was willing to cause an accident. I just didn't want to have to deal with the same old friends, the same old teachers, the same old building.

Whether I liked it or not, I soon arrived at the school. I parked in my assigned spot, went to my assigned locker, went to homeroom to sit in my assigned seat. I could tell it was going to be another fun packed year at the high school.

* * *

I slogged through my first four periods, wondering what I was thinking when I set up my schedule. AP Bio, AP Math, Spanish III and Critical Thinking all before lunch? I thanked God real quick for making Music classes, (even though he messed up on teachers) took a deep breath, and set my shoulders for another Hellish year of Chuckina.

But, when I walked in, Chuckina was nowhere to be seen, which was odd, because he made it a point to be early for every class. Not that I was complaining, every Chuckina free minute would be a good one. I looked around the room, trying to see if this class was a good one. I said hi to Oliver Oaken, a friend of mine since I was like five, even though he was a total dog. I looked to my other side and saw Matt and Jake talking, probably about football or girls. Matt saw me looking and waved, and Jake, who turned to see who Matt was looking at, gave me that weird casual nod guys do. I gave him one back. I saw Jackson Stewart hanging out in the back of the class, and I figured this would be a pretty good one. There were less than fifteen kids in the class, and a pretty good group of them were my friends. Until Amber and Ashley walked in.

"Ew. What's that smell?" Ashley said loudly.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just that Truscott loser." Amber replied.

They both giggled, touched their fingers together and went 'Oooohh,' before walking to the back of the room to find seats. I scoffed. I never thought them to be hilarious, but something told me I just might be switching out of this class because of them.

Finally, the bell rang, and, just in time, the teacher backed in. "Sorry I'm late class." _She_ said. "I was a little lost…" She laughed, talking to the door, as she closed it. "That sounds like some lame excuse." Then, she turned around.

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I hope you liked that so far, Review please, give me any ideas you may have for this story, because right now, I have nothing. Just making it up as I go along. = D


	2. Music Class

Oooooh...so who's intrigued? I'm not. But, that's just because I know what's going to happen! Haha, read on!

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I froze. She was by far the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. Woman. Teacher…? I could do nothing but stare at her. She was so beautiful, and too young to be a teacher. But, she was talking to us with the air of one in charge. I tried to tune back in to what she was saying, but it was hard to hear her over the cat calls from the boys in back.

"Settle down, settle down." She said, walking over to her desk to drop her bag. "So, I don't know how this class was run before, but you should expect it to be completely different from now on." She said in a brisk, businesslike tone. She smiled at us. It was as beautiful as the sun rising over the ocean. "There'll be no assigned seats. Sit where you want, when you want. Oh!" She laughed, and it was a beautiful sound. "I'm Miley Stewart. You guys can call me Miley. Anyone who calls me Ms. Stewart gets detention." She laughed again, and this time the class giggled a bit, a really soft laughter. I couldn't take my eyes off her. "So, let's start with names!" She looked around at all of us. She pointed at me. "You! What's your name?"

I stared at her, blushing under her intense stare. Someone poked me in the back and I still said nothing. Miley smiled wider. "Truscott! Wake up!" I heard Jake whisper in my ear.

"Truscott. I'm L-L-Lillian Truscott. Lilly I-I mean." I could hear the class laughing around me, but it didn't matter. The way Miley was looking at me, we could have been the only ones in the room. I wished we were the only ones in the room. Miley just smiled wider.

"Looks like Lilly's got herself a little girl crush." I heard Amber stage whisper from behind me. I kept looking at Miley. Suddenly her face got hard.

"What's your name?" She said, looking intensely at someone behind me.

"Ugh. I'm Amber." She said, in that snotty, everyone-knows-me voice that I couldn't stand.

"Well, Am-ber," Miley said, making her name two sarcastic syllables. "What instrument do you play?"

"I don't play an instrument. I'm a singer. Best in the school."

"We'll leave that up to me to decide. Maybe you should learn to play an instrument. This is a Music class." She gave Amber one last look, and moved on to other people in the class. I looked down, angry at myself for not saying something witty when she asked my name. I froze like a deer I the headlights! Ugh. I'm an idiot. I liked how she talked to Amber. I could tell this was going to be a good class. Maybe I wouldn't drop this class. Not just yet.

After finding out what our names were, Miley had us tell her what instruments we play. She had us split up into groups depending on what we do. The guitars were in the front of the room, by her desk, the bassists in the corner, drummers in the back, and the singers in the middle. Of course, the only singers were Amber and Ashley. "So," Miley said, "Who here plays more than one instrument?" She looked around the room as about half the class raised their hands. "More than two?" Some hands went down. "More than 3?" The only hands left were mine and Jake's. She looked at him first.

"Ok. Starts with a J…" She looked at him questioningly.

"It's Jake." He looked kind of hurt she couldn't remember his name.

"Thanks. So, Jake, what do you play?"

"Electric Guitar, Acoustic, Keyboard and the…hem hem, Clarinet." The class laughed around him. He ducked his head.

"Ok. Lilly." She turned to face me. I noticed she had no troubles with _my_ name. "What do you play?"

"Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard…" I let my voice trail off as I returned my gaze to the ground. There was something about her eyes that burned in to me.

"Impressive." I looked up and she was giving me that smile again. I felt my knees start to weaken. I leaned on her desk, hoping the move appeared casual. "Do you play them well?"

"Um…well enough."

"Good. So guys," she spoke to the entire class, though I noticed her eyes kept coming back to me…or I hoped they were, "I've told you, this class is going to be different than it's ever been before. We're going to have you all play, see exactly where you're at, though, if you're in this class, you should be pretty good. We're gonna form two, maybe three bands, four if we have enough people. You are going to be required to have a song writer, a couple guitars, a singer or two, and drums in every band. There are about twenty of us, so this should be easy to accomplish. The last thing I want to do today is split into the bands. So get to it!"

As soon as she waved us away a low babble started in the class. Before I knew it, there was a group of people around me, trying to get me into their bands. Jake and Jackson were the first one's by my side.

"Ok, Lilly. Since you can sing and do all that other stuff, you have to be in a band with me. I'll do drums…"

"I'll do bass!" Jackson added.

"Yea, so I'll do drums, Jackson on Bass, you on guitar and singing…and…" He looked around, trying to see who else was around. "Crap. We need someone else." And, just in time, Matt walked up.

"Hey guys. You need someone else?"

"Depends, Matt. What cha got?" I said to him.

"I can do guitar, or keyboard."

"Perfect!" Jake exclaimed. "You got keyboard!"

"Do we want another guitarist?" I asked. I looked around, trying to remember who had been next to me in the guitar group. I reached out and grabbed Oliver. "ey buddy, you play guitar right?"

"Lils, you know I do. Can I be in your band, I everyone else's is 'full.'"

I laughed. He was just so pitiful sometimes. "Oh, Ollie, of course you can!" I punched him on the shoulder. "Toughen up! We need some heartache helping right these songs."

"Ugh." Jake said, "Ms. Miley over there is gonna give me some real heartache.."

"Jake!" I punched him on the shoulder too. "Keep it in your pants!"

"Oh come on Lilly. You want her too!" He put a pathetic look on his face "Truscott." He mocked me in an exaggerated girly voice. "L-L-Lillian Truscott. Lilly I-I mean." He batted his eyelashes.

"Jake, I'm gonna pound you within an inch of your life!" I chased him across the room, and just as I grabbed him, Ms. Stewart…Miley…caught me around my shoulders.

"None of that ladies. Boys." I looked at Miley's arm around me. She followed my gaze, and then let go. Then, the bell rang, and everyone went to grab their things and leave. I looked at her a bit longer before I walked out of the door. Teacher, or not teacher, I was caught up in Ms. Miley Stewart.

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So, what'd ya think? Review and let me know. I'm still up for ideas, so let me know!


	3. What Now?

So...haha. I've noticed that people REALLY like this story. Make sure to read my other story too! Please. = ) It's called Good and Broken. = )

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I pushed my way out of the room, jogging down the hall. As soon as I got around the corner I leaned against the wall, gasping. It was then I realized that from the moment Miley had touched me, until then, I hadn't breathed.

_What the hell was that!?_ I thought to myself.

_Oh, you know what that was. _An annoying voice in the back of my mind said. I hated that voice. It only came out in times of weakness. And it sounded an _awful_ lot like Amber.

I ignored myself, trying not to think, trying even harder not to hyperventilate. I thought of the way her arm was warm on my shoulder, and how her eyes seemed to burn into me. I looked around, glad no one was in this hall with me. I walked down the hall like nothing had happened, and headed down the stairs to lunch.

By the time I had gotten my lunch and arrived at the table Jake, Matt and Jackson were there. And, of course, they were talking about Ms. Miley Stewart.

"Dude! She's so hot!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yea, but did you see the way she treated Amber? That was cold!" Matt laughed.

" Yea, well I would like to warm her up!" Jake laughed, too. I bristled at the way they talked about her, as if she was nothing more than an animal. A very cute animal. It was right about then that I noticed Jackson hadn't joined in talking about Miley. Apparently, so did Matt.

"What, Jackson? You don't think she's hot?"

Jackson looked up at us. "Um…Miley is my sister. You know? Miley Stewart, Jackson Stewart. Not a coincidence. She still lives with my Dad and me."

"What?" I said, and my voice sounded loud and harsh, even to my own ears. Everyone turned to look at me. "I mean, whenever I've been to your house she hasn't been there."

"Yea, she's been away the last four years at UCLA. She did have to get a degree."

"Dude! I went to your house plenty of times before high school and she wasn't there! I would have remembered her!" Jake was practically shouting.

"I know. She was always um…traveling." He looked away when he said this, and I had a feeling he was lying. Or I was just paranoid.

"I don't care who's sister she is!" Matt announced. "She's still HOT!" Everyone laughed, except for me.

"So…" I said, eager for a change of topic. "What are we going to do about this band thing?" Oliver bounded up, sitting down heavily at the table.

"Well," Jackson began. "I really like the band idea. I saw we meet at my house on Saturdays to practice and stuff. My Dad will no doubt let us use the living room. And we have a recording room if we want to use it."

"Yea man!" Oliver laughed. "You got all those guitars and that piano and stuff---" He turned, noticing the girls who walked by. "Hey ladies! You want a ride on the Ollie Trolley?" He nodded and fell off his chair. We all laughed. Same old Oliver. It wasn't long until the bell was going to ring, so I hurried to finish my lunch and get to my locker before the rush hit. When I got to my locker there was no one in the hall, so I went straight to it and began to put put the combination in. I thought I heard someone coming, and looking up, I saw Miley. My heart began to beat a million miles per hour, and I could feel my palms begin to sweat. I tried to focus on my combination, but I realized after a couple seconds that I'd gone past my last number, and could no longer remember the first two.

"Hi, Lilly."

I looked at her, forcing myself to breathe, even though I was hyperaware of the fact that she was only about a foot away from me. "Hey, Miley."

"So, I have to say, I'm quite impressed with your classes apparent musical talent. How long have you been playing instruments?"

"Well," I said, trying to figure out what to do with my hands. "My dad taught me almost everything he could when I was like six. He kept helping me improve whenever and wherever he could. Then he died when I was thirteen. But, I just kept going with my music."

"Oh, I'm sorry your dad died." The way her smile fell slightly made me wish I'd kept my mouth shut. "What did he do? I mean that let him know so much about music."

"Oh, he was a big time producer. As close to famous as you can get without _being_ famous. You know, he produced for Hannah Montana."

"What!? Ted Truscott was your father!?"

"Um…yes?" I was shocked she knew my father's name. She put her hand on my arm, and I stopped breathing. Again.

"Ted was _my_…I mean he was…well a good friend of my father." The look on her face was strange. It was a mix of pity and…something I couldn't understand. Guilt? Why would she feel guilty? I felt an insane impulse to put my hand over hers and comfort her, though I didn't even know what was wrong. "He was a good man."

I looked at the ground, not wanting to meet her eyes. My father was not a good man. He died in a crash while he was driving drunk. He killed two teens on his way out. "Yea…" I left off, not agreeing to anything really.

The bell rang. "Well Lilly, with Ted being your Dad, I will definitely expect good things from you. She smiled her thousand watt smile, and let her hand slide down my arm. She turned and walked away. I started to walk away, then remembered I still had to get into my locker. After taking about five minutes to get my locker open, I got my books out and went to my next class.

Sixth period study hall was hell. Due to it being the first day of school, I had no homework, which meant that during study hall, there was time for my mind to wander. All I could think about was Miley. Every time I blinked, the only thing behind my eyelids was her. I tried to focus on the band assignment, figuring I should get a head start on songs. I tried to put some lyrics together, but what I came up with was ridiculous. Finally I managed to get things going, and I wrote a really good song.

_We'll do it all  
Everything  
On our own_

_We don't need  
Anything  
Or anyone_

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_I don't quite know  
How to say  
How I feel_

_Those three words  
I said too much  
They're not enough_

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life_

_Let's waste time  
Chasing cars  
Around our heads_

_I need your grace  
To remind me  
To find my own_

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

_Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life_

_All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see_

_I don't know where  
Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all_

_If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

I looked at the words, written on the page in my untidy scrawl, and wrote Chasing Cars on top, as neatly as I could. I read it over, unsure of what to do. The whole song was for Miley. Miley Miley. She was all I could think of. _What now?_

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Hope you guys liked it. Don't forget to review! Every single review counts. They all make me feel great! = )_  
_


	4. No, Sar, the Other Thing!

I know there are a lot of people who are interested in this story, and sorry for keeping you waiting, but I really wanted to got the next chapter for my other story, and in this past weeks i've moved, and been so overwhlmed with everything....*sigh* These are just excuses. Sorry. Read on!

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I went through the rest of my day pretty much on autopilot. When school ended I got into my car, throwing my bookbag into the backseat. I drove the short ride home, blasting the Jonas Brothers newest CD through my speakers. I know how much all of my friends hate them, but seeing as all my friends are guys, I really don't care. There's something about their music that steadies and inspires me. I sang along, glad for something to distract my jumbled thoughts.

_I don't wanna fall asleep  
Cause I don't know if I'll get up  
And I don't wanna cause a scene  
But I'm dyin' without your love  
I'm beggin' to hear your voice  
Tell me you love me too  
Cause I'd rather just be alone  
If I know that I can't have you_

I stopped singing at the beginning of the next verse, realizing that everything in my day suddenly seemed to revolve around this girl. Woman. This _teacher. _I'd only known her _one_ day! And yet, I already knew I wanted to figure her out. She was suddenly a mystery, and there were things she did that I needed to understand. And she was beautiful. _Is_ beautiful. So _painfully_ beautiful. Just because I stopped singing doesn't mean the music stops…

_So tell me what we're fighting for…_

I know what I'm fighting for.

_Cause you know that the truth means so much more  
Cause you would if you could, don't lie  
Cause I'd give everything that I've got left  
To show you I mean what I have said  
I know I was such a fool_

I am a fool…

_But I can't live without you_

_Oh please, please, do not let me be at that point yet_. I thought to myself. Hopelessly in love with a teacher? That would never work out.

I pulled into my driveway, glad to not be alone with myself, but, on the other hand, not so glad about who my company was going to be. I grabbed my book bag and walked up onto my porch, stopping for a moment to steady myself. I never knew how she was going to be when I got home, so I always needed to be ready. I opened the door and walked in.

"Where have you been!?" My mom screeched from the living room, where she was still on the couch she'd been on this morning. Oh God, it's going to be one of those days.

I turned to look at her. I remembered a time when my mom had been beautiful. Her long hair had been a beautiful blonde color, her face full of color. I had always heard that I looked like my mother, and I would always appreciate the compliment. But, she let herself waste away on this couch since my father was gone. Too bad. "I was at school, Mom." I said, in the flat even tone of indifference that I reserved for my mother.

She jumped off the couch. "Don't use that tone with me!" And she stomped over to me. "You're so ungrateful!" She tried to slap me once I was within her reach, but she only got her arm halfway across the distance when she stumbled over herself. I dropped my bag and caught her. She smelled like booze. Again. "Get your hands off of me!" She screamed then, trying to get out of my grip. Suddenly, she went slack, and for a moment I was sure she was dead. She looked up at me, a mere shadow of the woman she had been. "Lils, can you please help me back to the couch?"

Seeing her like that always broke my heart, even though the alternate was her screaming at me. I mumbled an answer, and supported most of her weight until she was back to the couch. I left her there, and then walked into the kitchen. "Have you eaten?"

"No…."

"I'm going to make you something then." She didn't answer, so I went through everything in the cabinets, unsurprised that she hadn't been shopping this week. I settled to just make her eggs and bacon. After I finished making her food, I brought it to her in the living room. She ate it slowly, almost suspiciously, so I left her there to pick through it. I went upstairs with my book bag.

While sitting upstairs I went through the standard first day of school papers. I signed them all for my mom, knowing she was in no condition to give her consent to anything. It didn't matter, these papers were unimportant at best. I shoved them back in my bag, then laid back across my bed. I folded my arms under my head, trying to relax. I went through a couple breathing exercises, some of the same ones I practiced before singing. They usually calmed me down.

I hadn't been like that for more than five minutes when there was a knock on my door. "Come in." I said warily, wondering was possibly at my door, knocking. That was something my mother never did.

As the door creaked open I glanced up, seeing Sarah. I was suddenly struck by a strong memory of when she had been really dorky in the ninth grade. But, she'd grown out of it, and had become my only girl friend. Well, my only _real_ girl friend. All the other girls who said they were my friends only claimed to be so to get to Jake or Matt. It's ridiculous. "I see your mom is passed out again." Sarah said, as she walked in and lay on my bed next to me. I scooted over to give her room.

"Is she? Did she eat the food I gave her?"

"Well, there's a plate on the table that's mostly empty. There's still some bacon left." She turned her head sideways to look right at me. "You know, I think it would be a really good idea to try to convince your mom to get some help."

I looked at her too, knowing she was completely serious, and not mean or sarcastic like everyone else would be if they knew. "I know, it's just…I can't really talk to her anymore. It's like she's some stranger I feel obligated to care for." I pulled my arms out from under my head, putting them at my sides. "I kinda feel like sending her away would be like admitting I can't handle my own life." I looked away from her, embarrassed.

She took my left hand, the one closest to her. "Lils, I know you've got this whole 'tough guy' thing going, but, honestly, you're too stressed. I don't know if it's because of your mom, or because you're just crazy, but you need to do something."

I laughed, curling my fingers around hers. "I have to say, it could just be because I'm crazy. I figured it would be something you'd be used to by now."

She elbowed me in the side. "You're the kind of crazy no one could get used to."

"You're the kind of crazy no one _wants_ to get used to." I quipped, elbowing her back. I was glad to have a friend like Sarah, one I could just completely relax with. She never expected anything from me, tried to exploit boys out of me, or treated me like crap. She was just an all-around good person. My phone started to vibrate, so I pulled it out of my pocket to check the text. It was from Jackson.

_'We're all meeting at my house right now, 2 try 2 get a head start on this whole band thing. Get hurr, ASAP!'_

"Ugh. I gotta go Sarah. Time to practice being a band at Jackson's house."

"Why?"

"It's an assignment that new teacher gave us."

"You mean that Ms. Stewart?"

"Yep." I pulled my hand from Sarah's, sliding to the end of the bed to put my shoes on.

"She's hot isn't she Lils?"

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. "Why would you say that?"

"Because you think she's hot." It wasn't a question, just a simple statement. I turned to look at her, shocked, and wondering how she could possibly know that. She hadn't even been near me when Miley was around. "Oh, come on, Lilly. Don't look at me like you've seen a ghost or something. I've seen her, and I know how you are." She smiled.

"How-how I am?" I knew what she was talking about, but I hoped I was mistaken.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about. You're gay." My mouth dried up at the word.

"How did you know?" I figured there was no point in denying it.

"I'm your best friend. I know everything about you. I know how you take care of your mom, even though sometimes she tries to beat you. I know of your secret Jonas Brothers collection. I even know how you can't master the 900 on your skateboard."

"And you're ok with that?"

"OK that you can't manage the 900? Of course. I can't even get the stupid skateboard to stay under my feet on a half pipe."

"No, Sar, the other thing."

"What? The Jonas Brothers? That's ok, they're cool."

"Sarah! The other, other thing!"

"Oh you mean that you're gay?" I winced at the word. "Of course I'm ok with that! You're my best friend. How could I not be?" She bounced to the end of the bed before I could even answer, sitting next to me for an instant. "Well, since you're leaving I guess I shouldn't hang around here anymore." She kissed me quickly on the cheek and practically glided out the door. Suddenly, I remembered why she had been such a dork Freshman year. She was too darn smart.

I stared our the door after her for a bit, then decided to et ready to go to Jackson's. I grabbed my guitar from its stand by my closet, and began collecting everything I would need. I picked up my picks, my electric tuner, and my case, putting everything into it. As an afterthought, I went through my bag to find the song I had written today. I put that in my case too, even though I wasn't sure how the boys would feel about it. I couldn't think about how Miley would feel if she knew the song was for her. And, suddenly, with a hammering of my heart and a sharp intake of breath, I remembered, living at Jackson's, was his sister. Miley Stewart.

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Hopefully i'll be able to start getting more chapters up this week, because i do really like this story. = D Review please!


	5. Chasing Cars, Chasing Miley

so...I made this chapter...and I actually really like it. I hope you guys do too. Read on!

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I sat in my car outside Jackson's house, willing myself to go inside. For some reason, I couldn't seem to make myself open the door. Then, my phone rang. I checked the display, saw it was Jackson, and hit 'ignore.' I grabbed my guitar case out of the back seat and went inside.

Opening the door to the house I found myself in the kitchen that I had been in so many times before. Robbie Ray, who let me in, told me the boys were already in the music room.

I went downstairs to the music room. This was a very special room, and the one I loved to be in the most. It was modeled after a real recording studio, with the controls and computer in one side of the room, and the instruments and microphones behind the glass. The drum set was even behind a plexiglass enclosure, to keep the sound of it from overwhelming the other instruments and microphones. And, the room was sound proof, do no one outside of it could hear anything. But, my favorite part of the entire deal was the instrument 'closet.' We called it a closet, though this was surely a joke. It was actually a large room that occupied the other half of the basement floor. You could get to it through a door by the computer on the one side of the glass, and it was completely full of instruments. There were guitars of various types, four full drum sets, two electronic drum sets, and a few professional keyboards.

I love being in that room, so Jackson always calls me when they tune any of the guitars, get new instruments, or want to sell some. Often, he and I would have long jam sessions in the basement.

I went through the glass door that led to the recording room. The guys were already in there, fighting over something.

"Hey, guys. What're we doing?"

"Well," Jackson began, "Matt, Jake, and Ollie here are fighting over what to call our band. I don't feel like fighting with them though."

"Oh." I said. Then I turned to the other guys. "Guys!" they ignored me. "Guys!" I yelled. They finally fell silent, as if they didn't realize I'd been speaking until then. "Don't you think names aren't that important?"

"Names are SO important!" Jake shouted. "And I think we should be the 'Jake and Bake!'"

"And I think we should be that 'Okinator and Friends'" Oliver shot back.

"But I have the best idea!" Matt chimed in, "Lords of Dogtown!"

"Dude! You can't even skate!" Oliver answered.

"Well," I interrupted, "I think we should be 'A Beautiful Disaster.'" They fell silent, staring at me. "I mean, we don't have to be."

"Actually," Jackson spoke up from behind me, "I really like it."

"You know, me too. Better than 'Jake and Bake.'"

"Dude! Shut up! You wanted to be 'Okinator and Friends!'"

I laughed at their pathetic bickering, glad they liked my idea. "Has anyone started working on songs yet?"

Oliver answered first. "Well, Jackson and I worked on a song. We figured we could do a cover of 'Once Upon a Dream.' You would sing it, and I would rap before or after the chorus in some parts. We called everybody here because we wanted to work on it."

"That's cool. I really like that song, actually. And, I wrote a song during study hall today."

"Like, an original song?"

"Yea. I really like it."

"Can we hear it?" Jake asked eagerly.

"Um." I stopped, realizing I hadn't even thought about the tune. "I guess I can sing the chorus, and part of a verse. I haven't really worked it out at all yet." I opened my guitar case, taking out the notebook paper so I could sing it.

_'Those three words, _

_I've said too much,_

_But not enough._

_If I lay here,_

_If I just lay here,_

_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?_

I stopped, trying to figure out the looks on their faces. "Was it that bad?" I asked anxiously.

"Dude. You are the best singer I've ever heard." Jake said.

"Yea." Matt added. "I say we start working on it right now."

Everyone agreed with Matt, so we all set up our instruments. I took out my guitar, which is the same one Kevin Jonas has. It's a black electric guitar, with the Jonas Brother's JB symbol all over it in gold. Whenever anyone asked, I always told them it was a gift, which technically it was, but I paid the two hundred dollars to get it personalized. It's the best guitar I've ever had, and I even got Kevin Jonas to sign it in silver Sharpie.

"So, Lilly, why don't you start out with the guitar, and the rest of us will come in where we think it'll work out. And we'll just go from there." Jackson encouraged me.

I turned my guitar on, looked around to make sure everyone was ready, and began to play. At first I had envisioned this song as a slow one, but, at the last moment, I decided to make it have a kind of rock edge. So, I began with a crazy guitar riff, and Matt played some cool techno sounds on the keyboard, and after a bit Jackson had the bass thrumming. Then Oliver brought in the other guitar, alternating between two or three chords, blending in perfectly with my guitar, and when I began to sing, Jake started the drum beat. I was amazed at how smoothly it had come together, sounding more like we had practiced for weeks then if we were just beginning to work out the sound.

Right before I got to the chorus Miley walked into the room, and she stood and watched on the other side of the glass. If she had surprised me at any other time, I would have been frozen, almost unable to function. But, when I'm on stage playing, nothing can throw me off. She stared at me through the glass, and I looked back, returning her intense gaze.

_'If I lay here,'_

I studied her face, admiring the perfection of it.

'_If I just lay here,'_

There was something about her eyes, her pure brown eyes, that was familiar.

'_Would you lie with me and just forget the world?'_

I shut my eyes, unable to look at her any longer. We played through the rest of the song, and at the final chorus all the music stopped except for a soft sound on the keyboard, I let go of my guitar, grabbed the mic stand and sang with all of my heart, knowing that Miley was watching. And, I sang her one final line.

_'Would you lie with me and just forget the world?'_

When I stopped singing I turned to look at the boys. They were all staring at me in amazement. "What!?"

"That. Was. Amazing." Jake said.

"Lilly," Jackson said. " I've never heard you sing with such feeling before. Who is that song for?"

"Um…" I began, but then the object of my song walked in the room.

"Hey guys," she said. "That was fantastic. I just went grocery shopping, so I thought you might want to come up and have a snack? And Dad's gotta leave, but I'm going to make dinner in about an hour, and you're all welcome to stay."

She'd barely finished what she was saying before the boys had taken off racing up the stairs, and I found myself alone with her.

"So," she said, "I'm also curious as to who that song is for…" She left the sentence off, and when I didn't offer any information, she continued. "So, are you going to stay for dinner?"

"I just---I mean…" I cleared my throat, wishing that I could talk the way I performed. "I don't think---I should just---I'll---Yes. Ok." You would think I had told her she won the lottery, the way she smiled. "Why are you…Why are you so happy?" I berated myself for constantly repeating things.

"Why would you say I'm happy?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Because you like…you know…it was like…you smile."

She laughed. "Yes, I smile." She hesitated, for the first time since I'd met her. When was that? _This morning?_ "It's just because I don't want to spend the night stuck in a house full of boys. That's all."

"That's all?"

"Yes. Why?" I blushed, unable to answer. When did I turn into such a blustering fool?

"Oh, n-n-nothing." I stuttered again, and if it hadn't been Miley in front of me, I would have probably hit my palm on my forehead. Of course, if she hadn't been here, I probably wouldn't have stuttered.

"Well, I'm going to go upstairs and start dinner. Would you like to help?" She half-smiled at me, and my 'no thanks' was lost long before it hit my throat. Actually, I didn't answer at all. I just nodded and followed her upstairs, leaving my guitar in the room. _What have I gotten myself into?_

_---_

Ooooohhhh.....cliffish hanger. What exactly do you guys think? Tell me. I love reviews, and I take suggestions. And I really love the comments you guys make.


	6. Cutting Myself

Well, I guess I didn't take too long making this chapter...Go on. Read it.

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Half an hour later Miley and I were in the kitchen, getting dinner ready. The boys were upstairs in the computer and game room, leaving me alone with her again.

We talked---well, _she_ talked---about almost nothing. I just nodded and laughed, painfully aware of how close she was while we washed the vegetables. Then, she decided to make me talk.

"So, did you ever listen to Hannah Montana?"

"Actually, I-I did. She was pretty much my idol. Why do y-you ask?" I tried to stop stuttering so I could appear coherent.

"Well, you said your dad was her producer, so I just wondered. Did you ever meet her?"

"No." I answered curtly. Then, I realized how rude it sounded. "I mean---like---my Dad didn't believe in mixing business life and home life. The only way I could even go to her concerts was if my mom told him I was at a friend's house." The word's rushed out of me, and I was just glad that I'd managed a couple of sentences without stuttering.

"Oh." We were silent again. She reached for a piece of chicken to cut into strips, and I felt her arm graze mine. Goosebumps sprung out of my skin, making me shiver. I tried to ignore it, and cut up more celery. "What about your mom?"

"Oh. She's more---you know---like a hopeless drunk. She tries to fight me and can---well," I paused, knowing I'd said too much. "She can---she can barely even care for herself." I whispered. I had no idea why I'd told her that, but I could feel the sorrow I hid from everyone except Sarah attempting to bubble to the surface.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." She looked at me, then looked away so fast I almost didn't see the strange look on her face. "Um…" She seemed eager for a change of topic. "Have you always stuttered like you do?" She smiled at me, as if she knew what the real answer was.

"No…only---only when I'm nervous." I kept staring down, furiously chopping celery.

"Do I make you nervous?" I couldn't look at her, but I heard the smile in her voice.

"Y-y-yes. Most def---definitely." My heart hammered against my rib cage.

"That's ok. I get nervous around girls sometimes too." It took me a minute to process what she said, but when I did, the knife I was cutting with slipped off the celery, cutting deep into my finger. It seemed as if everything was moving in slow motion, and it was a few moments before the blood started to pour out, and a few more before I reacted. I yelped, and felt Miley jump beside me.

"Lilly!" She shouted, grabbing a rag off the sink and wrapping it around my finger, applying so much pressure it hurt. But, it felt almost like she was holding my hand, and I couldn't help but enjoy it. She stared down at my hand, concentrating on keeping it from bleeding. I looked at her, studying the way her hair fell in and around her face as she looked down. I was struck by a sudden urge to touch her hair, so, without thinking, I lifted my uninjured right hand to touch the ends of her hair. At first she stiffened, but then, without looking up, she smiled, seemingly to herself. I put my hand back down.

After a moment she pulled the rag back a bit to check that my finger was no longer bleeding. She took it off my hand and grabbed a first aid kit from the top of the fridge. "Come over here," she said, pulling me towards the table. "Sit." She sat in a chair next to me, moving really, really close, and putting my hand palm up on her leg. I began to shiver, almost unable to take the contact. "You ok?" she asked. I just nodded, knowing I couldn't trust my voice to even form words.

I sat there, as still as I could, that way she could finish faster. Once she finished, we both stood up. I couldn't even look her in the eye. "Maybe," she suggested, "you should just work on boiling the potatoes, cooking the chicken. No more knives for you." She laughed, and I looked up to see her smiling warmly at me. I laughed too.

"Yea…I guess not."

* * *

We finished eating dinner later, around almost nine. The boys wanted to start working on another song, but I needed sleep. It had been a very stressful first day. I grabbed my guitar, packing my bag while the boys followed me into the room, begging me to stay. When I refused, they all stayed in the house while I went to my car, except for Jackson, who walked me out. He stood there hanging on my door, talking to me while I started it. Tried to start it.

"What's wrong?"

"The car won't start." I tried again, and the engine stuttered, almost turned over, then died again. "Crap. Can you drive me home?"

"My car's in the shop. Transmission is out. And Oliver's mom drove him, Jake and Matt here. Can your mom drive you?"

"She's not home." It was a lie, but I knew my mom was too drunk to even find her keys, let alone drive.

"I'll see if Miley'll drive ya home."

My heart started to hammer again as I watched him walk away. I didn't get out of my car, because I didn't want to seem too eager to be alone with her again. She made me nervous, but just being near her made me happy, made me feel as if my life wasn't as hopeless as I'd thought it to be.

A second later she walked out, without Jackson. "I hear your car won't start." She smiled at me.

"You hear correctly." I smiled back.

"Well, come on. I'll drive you home." She started walking back toward the house, where her car was in the driveway. Getting closer, I saw she drove a new, 2009 Mustang. I wondered exactly how a fresh-from-college teacher could afford such a car, but I didn't ask.

We both got in, and she started driving. It was silent for a while, but not in an awkward way. "Where do you live?" I told her my address and we became silent again. She pulled up outsde of my house, and at first, I made no move to get out. She patted my hand, and I turned to look at her. "I hope everything goes well. You know, with your mom. No kid should have to deal with that." She left her hand on mine, a little bit too long. I smiled, barely containing a laugh. "Oh!" She pulled her hand off of mine, blushing. You might want to hurry inside. Bring your instrument to class tomorrow!" I got out of the car, still smiling. When I got inside, my mother was sleeping. I took out my cell phone as I went upstairs, dialing Sarah's number.

---

So...I'm not sure how much I like this chapter. Maybe not at all. Let me know what you guys thought.


	7. Who Is this Guy?

I know there was a longish wait between the last chapter and this one. Sometimes, it's a struggle to write. But don't listen to my issues, just read on and let me know what you think.

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The next morning found me up nice and early, making my way to Sarah's car. She waited patiently at the curb as I opened the door and got in.

"Hey, Lils. What's up?"

"Not much, how about you?"

"I'm tired. It's the second day of school, and I'm already exhausted."

"Tell me about it. I was up sooo late last night." Thinking of Miley of course.

She laughed at me. Guess she can read minds or something. I adjusted my guitar on my lap, blushing. "You excited to see Miley today?"

"Let's not talk about this."

"Ok. Let's talk about Oliver. I think he likes me, and boooy is he cuh-yute!"

I laughed. "You're sooo shallow, girl."

"Yea, but when I have a boyfriend, I'll never have to see you!" She stuck her tongue out at me.

"You're too immature for me anyway, Sar." We kept picking fun at each other, talking about nothing until we got to the school. I hugged her, thanking her for the ride, and would have kept talking to her, if I hadn't been enveloped by my group of boys. Except for Oliver, who stayed behind to talk to Sarah. Who knows, maybe he does like her. The boys talked about loads of meaningless things, and I just walked with them to class, letting my mind wander to other things. Other, beautiful, long haired things. Everyone was walking into homeroom when Jackson pulled me aside, jerking me from my trancelike state.

"What happened yesterday?"

I shifted my guitar's strap from one shoulder to the other, switching the hands my books were in. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's hard to explain. Yesterday, when Miley came home, she was really out of it. Kind of like you are now…" He left it off there, hoping for an explanation.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Jackson."

He looked nervous. "If you were in some kind of big trouble you would tell me right?"

I wondered exactly what kind of trouble he was talking about. "Of course I would. You _are_ one of my best friends." He seemed pacified by the answer, and we both walked into the classroom. Crisis averted.

* * *

Fourth period. The time I'd been waiting for all day. (All three hours of the day.) I walked into the classroom, the only room I'd wanted to see all day. Half the class was there, but, once again, Miley was not. I sat around, talking to the boys. The door opened, and I looked up at Miley, smiling. She saw me and smiled back, but something about it was off. I looked at her, studying her as she got the class's attention, but I don't know her well enough to really tell if her body language is off too.

"Hey guys. So, I'm sure none of you have worked on anything for this class, so today I would like you to start working on your songs. All of you who brought electric guitars can begin with your music, just don't plug in to amps. I don't expect anyone to get very far, but don't worry, you've got the whole year to make up 12 songs." She looked at us all. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She made that strange shadow of her full smile again. "Get started!" Slowly, the class got out of their seats. After about ten minutes the class was full of soft guitars and gentle arguing. Apparently, two of the boys couldn't agree on a band name.

"I want to be Saving Abel!" One boy, Mark, yelled, becoming the loudest one in the room.

"That's already the name of a band, damn it!" Another boy, Zeke, yelled back. "Now stop being such a dumb ass and think of something real!"

Mark got really close to Zeke. "Who you calling a dumb ass, asshole?"

"Obviously, YOU. Dipshit." Mark shoved Zeke, and in an instant I was on my feet, trying to get between them.

"Guys, come on. We can settle this." I looked to Miley, and she looked like she was going to cry. I guess she's ill equipped to stop a fight.

"Lilly," Mark said through clenched teeth, "Move."

"Yea, Lilly. We can handle this." Zeke reached around me and smacked Mark across the face. Mark reacted immediately, shoving me out of the way. I stumbled backwards, falling over a desk. I rolled over on the ground, trying to get up before one of the big lugheads ended up falling and crushing me. Miley grabbed my hand, pulling me off the ground so fast I ended up against her, against the wall.

"Are you alright?" She asked, clearly concerned.

"Um…Yea. T-totally fine." I said, even though the arm I fell on hurt like hell. I couldn't tell her I hurt when I was enjoying just being so close to her. I moved back from her, looking back at the boys. They were on the ground trying to choke each other, exactly where I had been a moment before.

I looked back at Miley, and, looking at me, she seemed to realize where she was and what she was doing. The light left her eyes, again, and it was almost like a wall went up. She dropped her arms from mine, and moved away from me quickly. She grabbed the phone off the wall, calling someone. I couldn't hear her over the ruckus in the room. The girls were against the wall, and the boys were standing in a circle around Mark and Zeke, chanting 'FIGHT! FIGHT!'

Boys are so immature.

I leaned against the wall, watching and waiting. Eventually two security guards came in, grabbing the boys and pulling them apart. Allowing them to maintain some of their dignity, the boys were permitted to walk out, hobble really, Mark with a bloody nose and Zeke with a blooming black eye.

Miley backed away from the phone, and, not looking at me, spoke to the class. "Well, I guess after that, no one is really going to want to work. Go ahead guys, waste the rest of class." She smiled. "Seriously, do what you want! Nothing illegal, and no more fights." She looked away, and the class fell into disarray. Everyone else did what they wanted, but I watched the way the smile slid off Miley's face when she thought no one was looking. It wasn't really a sad look, just more of a quiet, occupied look. I wanted to know what she was thinking about. Wondered so much, I walked over and asked her.

"What a-are you thinking bout, Miley?" I played up a nonchalant tone, smiling as I spoke.

She looked up, managing that shadow of a smile. "Just life."

"What about life?"

"Ha." She laughed, in the same hollow way she smiled today. "My boyfriend and I broke up last night."

My heart dropped out. Boyfriend. She has a boyfriend. Or had one, I guess. "What happened? Why did he break up with you?"

"Oh, he didn't break up with me. I broke up with him." This surprised me.

"Why?"

"You know, for a student, you're awfully nosy. Why do you want to know?"

I stopped to think about this. "I'm just curious is all."

"Ok. I don't love him. I don't even like him. And he took that really hard. Somebody else caught my eye."

"Who is this guy?"

"Ok, so now you're going way beyond student teacher relationships, Lilly. And, anyways, this person doesn't know how I feel, so I'm sure not going to tell you." She smiled at me, and I got so tired of that hollow shadow of a smile, that when Jackson called me over, I left Miley sitting there, behind her desk. Why did it matter? She likes someone. I missed my chance already. And she likes boys. Too bad for me. I really thought I had a chance.

---

Oooohhh big issues. So guys, It may be a while before i update again, I feel my inspiration slipping away. So, so, so, so sorry. Maybe I'll update Good and Broken. Do me a favor though, and review. Remind me why I post. = \


	8. The Dance

Well, here ya go. I appreciate all my fans in a time of literary crisis. Thanks for your reviews. = )

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"Where have you been Lilly?" Sarah asked me earnestly.

I looked up from my guitar, confused. "I've been with you…haven't I?" We were sitting in my room, on my bed, cross-legged, face-to-face.

"You mean you don't know?" She looked at me, the worry written up and down her face.

I looked down at my guitar, which was laying on my lap. "No…no I really don't. What are we talking about?"

"We're talking about you Lilly. Three weeks. It's been three weeks since I've really felt like you were here. You're a zombie. You don't focus on anything, you don't show any emotion. What was the song you just played for me Lilly?"

"I-I don't know. I didn't know I was playing a song…" I looked at my fingers, shocked. Had I become so engulfed in pathetic grief I didn't even know what my fingers were doing?

"Please Lilly, just tell me what's wrong." She looked at me, pain evident on her face. She felt as if I wasn't trusting her with something and I could tell.

"I'm sorry Sarah. I didn't mean for you to feel like I couldn't tell you something. I honestly don't know where I've been. It's just, I fell soo head over heels in love with Miley."

She gave me a doubtful look. "In three weeks?"

"No…In one day." I waited for her to make some kind of scoffing noise, pick fun at me, anything at all. But the sarcastic remark didn't come.

"How?"

It seemed an odd question, but I knew exactly what she meant. "You know love at first sight? Man meets woman, woman meets man, both fall hopelessly head over heels in love?" She nodded. "It's real." I leaned back, propping myself up against the wall that my bed was pushed against. "It's so incredibly ridiculously real. And it sucks."She cocked her head at me, kind of like a puppy does when it hears a weird sound. "If you love someone, and they don't love you back, it does a hell of a number of your psyche."

She lay down on the bed, laughing. "Lils, you're so dramatic sometimes, it shocks me. Occasionally I forget you're a girl, than you go and fall in love with your teacher. Then, when you think she doesn't like you, you pine over her for weeks. You are such a girl."

"Shut up. I don't see you falling in love or anything." She showed me her hand, making the kind of motion a new bride would with her wedding ring. I looked at the ring on her hand. "Who's is that? It looks kind of familiar."

"It's Oliver's. If you'd been alive the past few weeks, you would have noticed that we never leave each other's side." I laughed. Sarah and Oliver. Not so strange I guess. She started to get up. "Come on."

"Where we going?"

"There's a dance tonight. Oliver and I are going. And from what I hear, Ms. Miley is chaperoning. Perfect chance to connect with her."

"I don't have anything to wear!" I half shouted, flying into a panic.

"Lilly, Lilly, Lilly. It's a regular dance, not a formal! You can go wearing exactly what you are now. Let's go, wouldn't want to be late."

"Sarah, I'm not going." I attempted to protest, but she wouldn't have it. Before I knew it I was out of my room, out of my house, and in her car. It was as if I had no power at all. Ridiculous.

Half an hour later I find myself standing by the wall, surrounded by guys too lame to ask a girl to dance. Jackson and Matt stood to my one side, talking about what girls they'd like to "hit,"(gross) while Mark and Zeke stood on my other side talking about the fight they had during class that one day, (annoying.) I ignored them all, trying to think of different ways I could better spend my Friday, however, I came up with nothing. Sad.

I looked around for Miley, hoping to see her alone, instead of bringing along whatever guy she was now into. Ever since the second day of school she seemed different, like she was always thinking about that guy. How I wanted to find him and beat him down.

"Hey Lilly." A voice said from behind me. Just hearing her voice made goosebumps erupt up and down my arm.

"Hey Miley." I replied, turning around with a smile already on my face. I saw her and my breath caught in my throat. She was wearing a short-ish black ruffled skirt to show off her legs, and a v-cut top. She's so beautiful. "H-how's it going?"

"Ugh. It's not going at all. It's like everything I hoped for hit a wall." Her smile disappeared. "Except for being a teacher of course." She smiled at me again. "How are you doing?"

"I-I'm ok. I mean I'm g-good." I looked down at my feet.

"You look really bored."

"Y-yea, I am."

"Do you wanna go for a walk? I'm tired of chaperoning a bunch of horny teens."

I looked up at her, unsure if she was serious. She looked like it. "Y-yea. What else am I gonna do?"

She turned and started walking towards the door of the Gym, and I followed her. Once we were outside she leaned against the wall. "I hate school dances. I didn't even like them in high school."

"R-really?"

She nodded. "I was an outcast in high school. I had like four friends." I just nodded in time with her story, though I was in complete and total disbelief. How could a woman like this have had no friends?

"I just, I-I mean, it's not like I don't fit in or whatever. Dances just aren't m-my deal."

"Lilly. Lilly I really like you."

"Yea, I really like you too. You're a pretty cool teacher."

"No Lilly." She put her hand on my shoulder, and I knew what I wished, more than anything, that she was actually saying. But it couldn't be true. Lilly, I like you for real. I dumped my boyfriend for you. I don't know what it is about you, but I would have kissed you that first day if I hadn't had a boyfriend. And I don't know where you've been since, but every single day I've wanted to just grab you, and shake you, and tell you how crazy you're making me." I leaned against the wall next to her. "Please, please tell me that you're not thinking of running away. I'm losing it here." She kept her eyes firmly on the ground, and my heart did crazy double paces while my stomach did flip flops.

I thought of how bad I wanted this, and wished I had the capacity to consider the repercussions. But, I'm not a genius, and I don't care what kind of trouble this could cause. This is the girl of my dreams. I grabbed her hand. "M-M-Miley, I feel ex-exactly the same way you do. And I just…I just didn't-didn't know you did." I tried to think of something else to say. Something important. But it didn't matter. Miley turned towards me, throwing her arms around my neck. I was taken aback a bit, and, leaning against the wall, I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her.

She had the softest lips I'd ever kissed, the sweetest kiss I'd ever had. I'd kissed boys before, with their hard hands and their demanding kisses and their chapped lips. It was nothing compared to this. Miley had the kind of kiss that wanted, but didn't take. It gave, but didn't force. She wanted me, needed me as much as I do her. She leaned back from me a bit, but I was the first to speak.

"Miley, will you be my girlfriend?"

It was dark out here, but no amount of darkness could contain her whispered, "Yes."

---

So what'd ya think? Is that what you expected?


	9. Fully Alive

Actually, I really liked writing this chapter. I don't know why. Not much happened. But i threw in some pieces that will be important later. Try and guess what the are. I bet you don't. = D

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I held on to her, glad I had not risked everything, my life, my career, my friendship with Lilly, for nothing. Lilly's arms stayed around my waist, my arms around her neck. She leaned back against the wall, pulling me with her. "M-Miley," she spoke to me. "This is crazy. We b-barely know each other."

"I know." Those two words were enough to encompass everything I was feeling, to convey the panic I felt, knowing where we were. For a moment I held my breath, unsure if she was going to take back everything. Through the wall of the gym I could hear the guitar of the song playing, and I could vaguely hear the words. Apparently, so could Lilly. She began to sing, wrapping the lyrics to the song up in her silky beautiful voice, husky with emotion.

_Telling Layla's story spoken  
'Bout how all her bones are broken  
Hammers fall on all the pieces  
Two months in the cover creases_

_Fully alive  
More than most  
Ready to smile and love life  
Fully alive  
And she knows how to believe in futures_

_All my complaints shrink to nothing  
I'm ashamed of all my something's  
She's glad for one day of comfort  
Only because she has suffered_

_Fully alive  
More than most  
Ready to smile and love life  
Fully alive  
And she knows how to believe in futures_

"Do you?" I interrupted her.

"Do I what?" She mumbled into my neck.

"Do you believe in futures?"

"I do."

"Good."

The door to the Gym smashed open. A small sliver of panic flew up my spine, causing me to jump back from Lilly as quickly as I could. "Lilly? What are you doing?"

The girl talking was only about ten feet away, but it was too dark to see her. Lilly, who was about a foot away from me, answered quickly. "Nothing. Just out here talking."

"Weeell, with who?" The girl laughed. "Miiiiiley?" She said it in a suggestive tone.

"Sarah, what do you want?" She sounded mortified.

"I'm leaving now. This place is boring. You need a ride?"

"Um…" Lilly looked at me. I didn't want Lilly's friend to know I was the one out here with her. I nodded to her. "Yea. I'm coming Sarah."

"Ok."

Lilly started to walk away, and as I heard the Gym door shut behind her friend, I grabbed her hand, pulling her back to me. "We'll take it slow, ok?" She nodded. "Don't tell anyone."

"I'll keep you my dirty little secret." She half sang to me. She kissed me on the lips and turned away. "Bye." She whispered. I smiled to myself. My girlfriend just kissed me goodbye after a school dance. How cliché.

* * *

I looked out the window of Sarah's car, unsure of how to react. I wanted to scream in excitement, but then Sarah would ask what was up with me, and I told Miley I wouldn't tell anyone. I felt like I was going to burst if I kept silent.

"Lilly?"

"Yeah?" I said without even looking at her. I watched the dark landscape slide by.

"When you were outside, who was with you?" I could hear the speculating tone in her voice.

"Oh, no one. I was just hanging out. I felt stifled inside."

"Lilly, you're such a liar! I can see the embarrassment creeping up your neck!"

As much as I hated to admit it, I could _feel_ the embarrassment creeping up my neck. I never have lied to Sarah well. Whenever she presses me for info, I start to blush up my neck, than on my face, then I start to giggle like an idiot. "Sarah, really, I was all alone."

"No you weren't. When I asked who was out there, you didn't say anything." I let out a little nervous giggle. "Aha! So you _are_ lying! Tell me Lils! Who was it!"

"Sarah, you can't tell anyone. Like, this is a life ending secret. I am entrusting my life to you. Understand?"

"It was Miley! I knew it! And I promise of course. So, what'd you guys do?"

"Talk. That's all. And she's my girlfriend now. We're officially going out." I switched from a lie to the truth so fast that my lying giveaways couldn't kick in again. I looked at her, the smile bursting on my face.

"Wow, Lilly. I haven't seen you so happy since Kevin signed your guitar! You really do like her don't you?"

"Yes. There's just something about her. She's amazing. And she's mine." I looked out the windshield, watching the red taillights of the car in front of us as it turned. The smile never slipped. "Why aren't you and Oliver going home together?"

Sarah's smile fell. "Oh. Me and Oliver had a fight."

"Over what?" Now that I'd stopped focusing on myself, I could hear the wavering in her voice, and hear her sniffle. I was willing to bet if there'd been any light in the car that I would be able to see the telling red in her eye that would prove she'd been crying.

"Some girl. I think we just broke up."

"I'm so sorry Sarah. You'll find someone better than him. He's a hot dog. Don't even worry about it."

"I know, I know." She looked out the window, unwilling to face me. She drove me to my house in silence. I got out, but, before I shut the door, I stopped.

"Sarah? You wanna stay over? It's not like we have school tomorrow, and I'm sure we have some Ben and Jerry's in the fridge." I smiled. She shut off the car.

"Why not?" We went inside, and spent the night talking and being idiots, while my mom slept on the couch.

---

Tell me what you guys thought! I'm thinking of cranking out another chapter for tomorrow.


	10. My Best Girlfriend

Hey Guys, told you I'd do my best to post today. Hey Croaker, i hope this was enough to get you through work. = D

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Monday morning I was up and excited. I hadn't seen Miley all weekend, and I was getting anxious. I hadn't thought about Miley, as Sarah kept me busy all weekend, but when she left last night, I was left alone with my thoughts. And there was only one girl on my mind.

I went outside to my car, which Sarah and I picked up yesterday, with its new $1500 transmission. I drove quickly, eager to get to school early, hoping to find Miley in her classroom. I got to school with half an hour until the bell would ring. I took the stairs in two's, hurrying to Miley's room. I slowly and quietly opened the door, and, seeing Miley leaning over her desk with her back to me, I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Hey Miley."

She leaned into me for a second, then pulled out of my arms, moving away from me. "Lilly, we can't be like that here. What if someone walked in?"

"Sorry." I pouted. "Just wanted some time with my…" I looked around, exaggerating suspicion. "girlfriend." I stage whispered.

She looked at me, a smile spreading on her face. "I know. I would have called you this weekend, but I don't have your number." She looked towards the door, then stepped in quickly to kiss me. "Two days feels like a long time." She put a hand on my cheek.

I covered her hand with mine. "We couldn't have hung out anyway. My friend Sarah got dumped by Oliver at the dance. So she stayed at my house all weekend. You know…" I hesitated, realizing she could think Sarah and I were more than friends, "for moral support."

She smiled. "You're so nice. I love that you're so nice." I pulled her closer to me, and turned so that I was sitting on the desk, with both of her hands in mine.

"I'm not so nice. That's just my best friend."

"And what am I?"

"My best girlfriend?" She laughed. "What?"

"Well…I should hope that I'm your _only_ girlfriend!"

"Haha, naturally! So what'd you do with your weekend?"

"I thought about you. And school. And what these kids think of my class. It's what I do with most of my time."

"You think of me a lot?" I asked, flattered.

"Yes. I thought that was obvious."

"You're funny, Miles."

"Wait, what did you call me?"

"Miles?"

"How did you know to call me that?"

"Um…I didn't. It just kind of sounded right."

"Well…I like it."

"I do too." I could hear people in the hall, and, judging by the way Miley kept glancing at the door, so could she.

"I guess I should go to my locker now…" I hated to leave her, but I knew that I needed to. And the way I was already needing to be around her all the time had to be unhealthy.

"Hey Lilly?"

"Yea?" I said, letting go of her hands and heading to the door.

"I think you're cured."

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't stuttered around me once today."

I gasped. "You're right. I guess that's what happens when you finally kiss the one that makes you nervous."

She laughed. "Get out of here! You better not be late to your homeroom!" She smacked my arm as I made my way out.

I made my way through my day thinking of Miley. There was something about her, something that made her more than I imagined. We clicked, as if we had known each other for years, not weeks. I thought also of how well I did not know her. I was still trying to figure out how to spend more time with her when I walked into the classroom. She was already in there, but so were a number of other students. She winked at me. I was forced to remind myself, again, that my girlfriend was my teacher. With anyone else I could have just walked up to her and hugged her, kissed her as I so wanted to.

Sitting there, I realized that now it would be even harder to stay away from her, now that I knew she did like me, and she was all mine. Most of the time. Even as I watched, Jake started talking about her, leering at her like she was some piece of meat.

"Man, I would like to get with her."

"I know Jake. But, she would dump you for me in a heartbeat!" Oliver laughed back.

I turned to look at the both of them. "Can't you guys just pretend to be civil? There's no reason for you to talk about women like that, ya know?"

"Yea guys, grow up. I'm tired of you talking about my sister like that." Jackson added.

I noticed that Oliver was looking at me, concentrating on me. "What? Do I have something on my face?" I ran my hair over my face, and through my hair, checking for anything abnormal.

"No. It's nothing." He looked away quickly.

"Ok…" The bell rang.

Miley stepped to the front of the class. "Ok class, as you all know we have a kind of empty class period. We can't really have everyone play as they work on songs, because that would be too loud and chaotic. So, I expect that most of you are at least working outside of school, because everything won't get done in the period. Keep that in mind as we go through the year ok? All right, go do your thing."

The class broke apart, some people working on songs, other's doing nothing in particular. Jake, Matt, Oliver and Jackson started to talk about the finer points of breast implants. I took no interest whatsoever in being a part of that conversation, so I walked over to Miley and sat at the stool on her desk. She smiled so wide, I almost had to take her up in my arms right then. Instead of doing that, which no doubt would have been a bad choice, I decided to talk to her.

"Why did you become a music teacher?"

"I love music. I used to love singing when I was your age. I was pretty good at it too. But I didn't want singing to carry me through life. So, I went to college, learned about teaching, and contemporary music. I figure if I can see what kids can do, if I can teach them a little bit of music, then that will be the point of my life. Why do you ask?"

"I want to get to know you." I whispered it, aware of the fact that people were within ten feet of us.

"And I want to get to know you better." She whispered back. "So, tell me, what's your favorite color?"

"Red. Yours?"

"Pink. What's your favorite band?"

"Tokio Hotel. You?"

"The Jonas Brothers." She giggled, and I couldn't help but laugh too.

"Where do you want to go to college?"

"I don't know. I want to get famous and make money. Get my mom some help you know."

She smiled. "You are nicer than you know."

"Uh huh. Did you always want to be a music teacher?"

"Nope. I wanted to be famous and sing."

"What changed?"

"Everything."

She didn't elaborate, and I didn't push her. Then Oliver walked up. "What are you guys talking about?"

Miley hesitated, so I answered. "Just the songs we've been writing. You know, Chasing Cars and Once Upon Another Dream."

"Yes." Miley agreed. "I think you guys have some very good ideas. The song I heard you guys play was amazing. Chasing Cars was it?"

Oliver nodded. "A big part of that song was all me. You know, I'm your man." Miley lifted an eyebrow at him. "I mean, I'm the man. I mean…I'm dependable, and grown up. No…I'm perfect. Not perfect…just…oh man." He stopped his stuttering and wandered away with a meager 'bye.'

Once he was out of earshot I whispered to Miley, "Do you see what you do to people?" She smiled. "Oh stop that, you look proud of it." She didn't answer me, and she hunched over her desk writing a note. She flipped the note over and wrote a pass on it.

"Here. If anyone asks, it's a pass to come here later. You can even show them the pass." The bell rang then, and I went to my desk to gather my things and leave. On my way out I looked at the pass, and flipped it over.

_'Lilly, would you like to go out with me tonight? Call me and let me know if you want to.'_ Underneath that was her phone number, and a couple of hearts.

Haha. Like I would say no.

---

So, I love you guys. I like how lots of you tried to guess at clues in the last chapter. Some of you were very close, with the right reasons, and the wrong clue, or the wrong reason, and the right clue. You guys are good. Reviews please!

PS. So I posted this yesterday, and I've been reading all of your reviews. You guys are amazing, to like, the 8th power. And, very perceptive. And....very wrong. Sort of. = D


	11. The Date

So...this may be the longest chapter I have ever written. I noticed you guys have complained about the short chapters, which i always do so I can post more often, but, anyways, here's your long chapter. Read on!

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When I got home from school I had no idea what to do. I'd called Miley as soon as I got home.

"I'm so glad you called. We're going to stay at my house. Ok?"

"Your house? What about Jackson and your dad?"

"Don't worry about it. Pick you up at seven?"

"Pick me up?"

"Well, we can't have your car parked in front of my house. I'll pick you up at the end of your road. Sound good?"

"Perfect."

"See you soon."

"Bye."

I fought the urge to say 'I love you,' and set my phone down gently. Three hours. I figured there was nothing else to do with my time, so I checked to make sure mom was ok, then set to making her meals for the week.

* * *

Seven o'clock found me sitting on a low wall on the corner at the end of my street. I had my ipod in, trying to calm my nerves. Having a secret relationship isn't easy. I tried to convince myself that was why I was nervous, but, honestly, this would be the first time I was truly alone with Miley. There would be no boys upstairs, no kids dancing in the gym, no one wandering the halls outside the open door. Just us.

I saw a car driving up, and in anticipation, half rose from my wall. The car drove by, leaving me half standing and looking stupid. I sat back down, trying to calm myself. I leaned over, putting my head in my hands, turning my ipod all the way up.

_'Tell me that you're alright,  
Yeah everything is alright.  
Oh please tell me that you're alright,  
Yeah everything is alright._

_Give me a reason to end this discussion,  
To break with tradition.  
To fold and divide.'_

I always try to listen to 'Everything Is Alright' when I'm nervous. It seems to make everything alright.

_'Cause I hate the ocean, theme parks and airplanes,  
Talking with strangers, waiting in line.  
I'm through with these pills that make me sit still.  
"Are you feeling fine?"  
Yes, I feel just fine.'_

There was a tap on my shoulder, so I pulled out a headphone and looked up.

"You ready to go?" Miley asked.

"Um…yea. Sorry." I jumped up, shutting off my ipod. Miley looked around as we got in her car. "Still suspicious?"

She gave me a look that made me want to shrink in my seat. "Lilly, I guess there's something you don't really get. I am a teacher. Dating a student is illegal. If we get caught, I get fired, and can never get a job as a teacher again."

I looked down ashamed. "I don't think dating me is worth possibly losing your job."

"Well, good news is you're not the one who has to date you, I am." She smiled, all hint of seriousness gone from her face. "And I think you're completely worth it."

I was blushing, and I could feel it. I tried to think of something that wouldn't embarrass me, but all I could think of was how pretty she looked, or how stupid I was for forgetting for a minute that she was a teacher. I knew the blush was moving up.

* * *

I looked at Lilly, who had a complete look of concentration on her face. It was kind of dark in the car, so I couldn't really tell what she was looking at. I felt an urge to laugh at her, but something told me she wouldn't take it well. I smiled to myself, trying to keep my eyes on the road and off of Lilly. She just looked so beautiful tonight, I wanted to look at her all the time.

_Just calm down, Miley. _I know talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, but aren't we all a little bit crazy? "You can change the radio station if you want. I just got that Sirius satellite radio. Present from my dad."

"Oh cool. I love these things." Lilly leaned over, immediately tuning the station to radio Disney. I started to laugh. "Sorry," she said, "we don't have to listen to this."

"No, no, it's fine. This is actually the channel I listen to most often."

"Seriously?"

"All the time. There's something about it that's great."

"I know! All my friends hate Disney, but I still watch it."

"Me too." I leave out the part where Disney sent my career into overdrive when the producer of Hollywood Records, who at the time was Lilly's father, heard my songs and immediately put me on their label. Occasionally, they still played my songs on the station. I thought it was one of the strangest things ever to hear myself on the radio.

_'And now, a blast from the past, an old Hannah Montana song: Fly On the Wall! You heard it here, on Radio Disney!'_

The sound of my own voice filled the car, accompanied by tunes I helped to create. "Holy crap! I used to love this song!" Lilly shouted, before beginning to sing along with my old song. I love the sound of her voice. And, it combines perfectly with mine. "Do you know the words?"

"Yea, of course."

"Sing with me Miley!"

I thought about arguing, but instead, I just sang with her. After all, this was my favorite song.

_'If you only knew what I talked about  
When I'm with my friends just hangin' out  
Then you'd have the inside scoop  
On what to say, what to do  
That way when you play the game  
Baby you can never lose_

_Don't you wish that you could be a fly on the wall?  
A creepy little, sneaky little fly on the wall  
All my precious secrets, yeah  
You'd know them all  
Don't you wish that you could be a fly on the wall?'_

_

* * *

_

I was singing along, happy to be with Miley, enjoying something fun, when, I heard it. Her voice. At first, I thought the radio had gotten louder, but, really, it was just her voice with the song on the radio. I stopped singing, hoping to hear her better. That was it. I sat in shock for a moment.

"Lilly?" Miley sounded concerned. "Lilly, are you ok?"

"It was…she was…it's you." I stuttered, attempting to make myself coherent. It was finally clear to me now. "You are her aren't you?" I stared at her, but she kept her eyes on the road. I saw her knuckles tighten on the wheel.

"I don't know what you're talking about Lilly." The deadpan in her voice let me know I was right.

"You are…you _were_ her. The music, your voice…your eyes." I was still failing at what I was trying to say.

"M-my eyes?"

"Your eyes. Your beautiful, familiar brown eyes. You were Hannah Montana weren't you?"

"I---Yes. I was."

I felt the ground fall away, as if I wasn't moving anymore. I could have been in the car, out of it, anywhere. I tried to open my mouth, to say anything, to let her know I didn't care as long as she didn't care, but I couldn't. I was too shocked. Miley pulled over.

We sat on the side of the road for a while. I kept staring out of the windshield while Miley looked at me. "Lilly do you…" She took my hand. "Do you want to go home?"

"Why would I want to go home?" I finally looked at her.

"Aren't you freaked out?"

I thought about it. "No. I'm just very, very shocked."

"But you still want to come over?"

"More than anything."

She smiled at me, flashing that smile that made my heart skip a beat. She put the car in drive, turning the corner onto her street. We pulled into her garage. "Want to see my house?"

"Your house?"

"Yea. Wait until you see this." We got out of her car, and she led me to a door in the back left corner of the garage. I'd never been back here before, so I'd never seen it. She unlocked the door and walked inside. I followed her, finding myself in a staircase hallway. We walked upstairs, and she opened the door, letting me in first. She followed me in, turning on the light.

"Miley, where is this?"

"This is a part of the house. Jackson and Dad live on the other side. We're actually right above the garage. Before I left my dad used to rent this place out. When I came back from college we agreed that if I helped around the house and occasionally bought groceries then I could stay here. And, I only pay a quarter of the rent the other guy used to pay. Want me to show you around?" I nodded, so she led me around. We walked into one corner of the place, with a tiled floor an island, and shiny silver appliances. "Obviously, this is the kitchen. I love to cook, so I usually go cook for dad and Jackson." We walked back onto the carpet, to a couch in front of a big screen TV. "My living room, even though it pretty much runs into the kitchen." She smiled. I followed her up a set of stairs. "This is my bedroom." She gestured to the room, with a king-size bed, a desk in the corner with a laptop on it, and a dresser with another, smaller TV on it. There was something about it that was very nice. It could have been how the house was so clean that no one might have lived in it, or the fact that it all had a very modern kind of style to it. Whatever it was, I liked it. "So, what do you think?"

"I think it's just beautiful. I love it. I wish that I had a place just like this."

She beamed. "I'm so glad you like it. I spent a lot of time cleaning it today."

"Miley, you didn't need to make it perfect. I wouldn't think any worse of you."

The look she gave me was endearing. So was the tone that came with it. "Oh, Lilly. You're funny."

I laughed at her. "So what are we going to do?"

"Well, actually, we were going to watch a movie, eat dinner, but, I want you to see something now."

"See what?"

"Oh, you'll find out. Come on, we have to go downstairs to see this."

"Ok."

I followed Miley downstairs back into the garage, where she unlocked another door. We walked through the door, down more stairs, and into the recording studio.

"You want me to see the recording studio?" I asked, confused. She knew I had been here. She had _seen_ me here.

"No. Come on." We walked through the door into the instrument room. She took my hand, and if it hadn't been for my speeding heart, it would have seemed natural. "Have you ever been in here?

"Yep. This is my favorite room of the house."

"OK." She gently pulled me towards the closet where the extra supplies were kept: drumsticks, guitar picks, extra strings, amps, power cords and more are plentiful here. We walked into the closet. "Now watch this." She went into the back of the closet, and reached into the back corner for something. She seemed to have found it, but then stopped to look at me. The excitement left her face, replaced by complete seriousness. "Before you see this, you have to promise to tell no one. No one at all."

"Of course."

She looked doubtful, then turned and pulled on whatever she had found. The back wall of the closet slid open, revealing a pearly white door with a large, fancy HM on it. She looked at me and beamed.

"What's this?"

"Let's go in so you can see." She opened the door, flipping a light switch. She walked in and I followed her. I froze, shocked, as I crossed the threshold.

I was in a large white room, maybe as big as the living room and dining room of my house put together. There were large, white pillars holding up the roof, spaced about ten feet apart. But, it wasn't the gargantuan proportions of the room that stopped me, it was everything in it.

Everywhere I looked, there was Hannah Montana. There was a section of the wall covered in Hannah Montana newspaper clippings. There was a bookshelf full of magazines Hannah was in. There were guitars in one corner, signed by Hannah Montana, and what I assumed were her band members. I actually recognized a few, and could name what show she had played them in. There were posters of her on one wall, and in the corner of the wall nearest the door were CDs, the different records of Hannah Montana that had gone double and triple platinum back when they were popular. But, the largest display, and the most dominant in the room, was the large circle with all of Hannah Montana's clothes on them. I walked closer to them, and saw they were organized by outfits, and labeled on them was the occasion she had worn them for.

"This is…." I tried to find a word to describe it. "amazing! You kept all of these things?"

"I had to. I couldn't just get rid of them. I knew that my fame wouldn't last, so I saved everything I could, just to make sure I could never forget."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do it? Why did you make up Hannah Montana, instead of just going out there and becoming famous?"

"Because I wanted to be like you."

"Like me?"

"I wanted more than anything to keep a hold of a normal life. I didn't want to live just the star's life. I wanted to have the best of both worlds. That's what that song is literally about."

"And…that makes total and complete sense."

"I hoped you would see it my way." She smiled that smile that I had already become so fond of.

"But…" I stopped to think about it. "Then you knew my dad. You worked with him every day."

"I know. He was a workaholic like no other."

"But you said he was a good man?"

"Wasn't he?"

"Um…sure."

"Ok…well…do you want to go back upstairs? I can bring you back down here at any time if you want to see it again or anything."

I took one last, long look around. "Yea, let's go."

* * *

I leaned into Lilly as the movie started. It's one of my favorites, and apparently hers too: Underworld Evolution. As the first scene began Lilly put her arms around me, wrapping both her hands around mine. And, it occurred to me, that I could never have been happier. I tried to watch the movie, but no matter what, the smile never left my face. We didn't talk much, but it wasn't necessary. After a few minutes, Lilly rested her head on mine, letting out a sigh of content. We had just gotten to the part of the movie where Selene and Michael are in the truck, and Marcus shows up, slamming his heavily muscled body into the truck with a resounding crash. But the crash Lilly and I heard came from my door. We both jumped and looked at each other. I had no idea who it could be, until I heard the voice.

"MILEY! Miley I know you're home! Please let me in! I just want to talk!" That voice sent chills down my spine every time I heard it. I knew he was drunk too. "Miley! You don't fool me! LET ME IN!"

"Miley," Lilly whispered next to my ear. "Who is that?"

"You remember a couple weeks ago, when I told you I dumped my boyfriend?" I whispered back. She nodded. "He hasn't stopped coming back." I saw the fear in her eyes, guessing it was inspired by the fear in mine. "Go upstairs and hide in my room. He can't know you're here."

"Miley I---"

"Lilly, it'll be fine." She gave me one last worried look before she snuck out from under me and creeped up the stairs.

"MILEY! MILEY! OPEN THE DOOR!" I looked to make sure she was up the stairs completely before I unlocked and opened the door.

He stood there with his hand up in a fist as if he was going to knock for a moment before he realized I was there. Then he dropped his hand. "What do you want Chet?" I asked, in the coldest voice I could muster.

He shoved me aside, lumbering in the door. "I want to know why you took so long to answer?" He looked around suspiciously.

"It didn't. Your just impatient. What are you doing here?"

"Just come to sssseee if you're ready to admit we should…um" He stopped to think. "We should be getting back together. Right now. You ready?" He tried to move closer and wrap his arm around my waist.

I put both my hands against his muscular chest and shoved as hard as I could. He didn't seem to notice. He leaned towards me, trying to kiss me. I smacked him. "Well why'd you do that?"

"Chet, you're drunk. Get out of here."

"You listen to me. I am---" I didn't ever find out what he was, because from upstairs there came a crash, and he looked up at the ceiling. "Is there someone here there? You have someone here! That's why you took so long to answer the door!? You're cheating on me!?"

"We're not going out. Get out of my house."

"I'm going to beat the shit out of the guy who thinks he can put his hands on my woman!" he shoved me aside and started lumbering up the stairs.

* * *

I picked myself up off of the floor, thinking of how stupid I was. I tried to creep upstairs, but instead got my foot caught on the bedpost and fell. I couldn't hear anything except for Miley's muffled answers to the fools shouts. Then, there was stomping up the stairs. Unsure of what to do, I did the best I could in that short amount of time. I stood up and put my hands at about waist height in case I needed them.

The man entered the room. He was handsome by all standards, with a chiseled chin and toned arms. He wore a simple black t-shirt that you could see his abs through, jeans and converse. Definitely the kind of guy I thought Miley would date. He would have been perfect, if it wasn't for the look of rage that contorted his face.

"You…?" He pointed at me, half stepping towards me and half trying to turn away. Miley came up the stairs behind him. "You're cheating on me with her!?"

"CHET! WE ARE THROUGH! We have been through since I left you! GET OUT!" She side-stepped her ex-Chet-and put herself between me and him. I didn't want her to be anywhere near him, but when I stepped forward she turned her head towards me a bit, whispering 'no.'

"Miley, you can't do this to me. I won't let you!" He lunged forward towards her, and as she tried to move away he grabbed her with his left arm. She tried to pull her arm from his, but his hand tightened. Without thinking about it, I jumped forward, swinging my right fist into his jaw as hard as I could. At the last second I pulled my thumb out, so as not to break it, and as my fist collided, I felt him lurch back with surprise. The force of my hit sent him reeling.

Miley was the first one to react. "Now Chet, if you leave right now, I won't tell any of your stupid little buddies that you got knocked down by a girl. What do you say?"

He got up from where he was kneeling on the floor, rubbing his jaw. "This isn't over Miley. You will come back to me, girlfriend or not." He got up, stomping down the stairs, knocking down something made of glass on his way out.

I kept staring at the place where he disappeared, waiting for some sign that he was gone. When the downstairs door slammed and I heard a car screeching away I knew everything was ok. For now at least. I looked at Miley. She had a shell-shocked look on her face, so I sat on the bed and pulled her down next to me. "Are you ok?"

She looked at me, and, instead of answering, kissed me. She put her hand in my hair, and I pulled her closer. I put my hand on her waist, and she took her hand that wasn't in my hair and put it on top of mine.

"Ahhh." I gasped. The hand she touched hurt. She pulled back from me.

"What is it?" She asked, concerned.

"My hand." I put it in front of us. The knuckles were already bruised, and the one on my middle finger was bleeding.

"Lilly! Holy crap! Come on." She rushed down the stairs, and I followed her. When we got to the kitchen she pulled some ice out of the freezer. "Flex your fingers." I did, and gasped again. It hurt.

"Will I be able to play guitar?"

"You're right handed right?" I nodded, trying not to yell as she put the ice on my hand. "You should be fine. If you were left-handed then you might have a problem." She smiled at me again.

"So that boyfriend of yours. Will he be back?"

"Ex-boyfriend. And yea." She looked at me with sadness in her eyes. "I hurt him bad. He'll be back again. Every time he'll come back."

She kept holding the ice to my hand, talking to me, but all I could think about was how I had ruined Chet's relationship for him.

---

Sorry for the long update time, but anyways, what'd ya think? A lot happened, along with a bunch to work us towards future chapters. Review pretty please!!

Ps. By, sorry it took so long to update, I meant, i like to update every day. = D This took at least a week. Sry! = D


	12. What?

So...I'm a worthless writer, and a horrible updater. Sorry guys. It took me FOREVER to do this chapter, but I was determined to continue it. Maybe next chapter will be better and quicker coming.

---

We sat in front of the movie, my arm around Miley, my hand in hers. She had insisted on continuing to rub ice over my hand, ignoring my assertions that my hand was fine. Not that I minded. She was gentle, so much so that the pain in my hand faded a bit.

We watched the credits roll once the movie was over, and Miley spoke first. "Well, I'll drive you home now."

"Are you sure? I could help with the dishes." She had cooked for us, a simple breakfast-for-dinner kind of thing.

"No, no. I'll take care of those when I get back."

"What time is-"I paused, feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket. I almost ignored it, but then it vibrated again, signaling someone was calling me. "Just a sec. Hello?" I asked, answering the phone.

"Hey Lils, can I come over? Please? I don't want to be home right now." It was Sarah, and she sounded desperate.

"Sar…I'm not home right now."

"Well, where are you? Will you be home soon?"

"I'm at M…" I paused, seeing the panicked look on Miley's face. "My friend's. I'm at my friend's. But…I'm leaving now anyway. If you want to go to my house now, it doesn't take too long to get home."

"Thanks so much Lilly. I'll see you soon."

"Bye." I hung up and saw the confused look on Miley's face. "Well, I guess now I have to go home."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. Something's wrong with Sarah. She's on her way to my house right now, so I have to go. Sorry."

"No, no. It's ok. Let's go." Miley grabbed her keys, locked the door, and we went downstairs. The ride back to my house was quiet, though not in an awkward way. I held my right hand in my left. It pulsed, sending fresh waves of pain every time my heart beat. I didn't want to let Miley know it hurt, though more than anything I wanted to whimper. Miley pulled up to the end of the block.

"I'm sorry to make you walk, especially late at night, but no one can see us. And, if your friend is at your house, then I can't even risk it." I couldn't really see the expression on her face in the dark car, but I was sure it was apologetic.

"It's ok. I understand." I leaned in to kiss her. I had only intended a quick kiss, but the moment our lips touched it was like putting a lighter to a gas leak. There was an explosion of heat, and the both of us wrapped our arms around each other, trying to get even closer over the gearshift. She wrapped her arm around my neck, while wrapping her other hand around part of my hoody, tugging me towards her.

Miley pulled back from me a little bit. "Lilly," she murmured, so close I could feel the words form on my lips. "You have to go."

"I…yea…" Being this close to her was clouding my mind. "I know...I know." I kissed her one more time. "I know." I opened the door, getting out.

"Bye girl." She said, so sweet that I couldn't help but smile, even though those words signified another chunk of hours without her. I shut the door, walking slowly down the block, reliving the last few hours in my mind, skipping over the time with Chet. I kept smiling until I got to the porch of my house.

I was walking along, staring at the ground, when I turned onto the sidewalk to my house. And I heard the crying. "Sarah?" I asked. "Sarah, what's wrong?" When I got closer to the porch, she looked up. I gasped.

Her face was swollen, her eyes a deep red. The light from the porch cast a strange glow over her face, making her look eerie and incredibly pale. But this wasn't the reason for my shock. Along the right side of her face were a series of bruises, as if she had been punched again and again. I crossed the final few steps to her. I gently touched the side of her face, and she jerked away, gasping in pain. "Sarah, who did this to you!?"

She stopped looking at me, her eyes facing the ground. "My Dad."

"And your mom didn't stop him?"

She shook her head. "He hit her too. She left…three weeks ago."

"Sarah," I sat down next to her. "Has he hit you before?"

"Not like this."

"Why didn't you tell me your mom left?"

"I…couldn't."

I wanted to press her for a better answer, because I thought we told each other everything. But, something told me it wasn't the time. I put my arm around her, and she broke down again. "Come on." I tried to make her get up, but she just latched on to me, going nowhere.

"Ok then." I mumbled as she cried into my neck. I put my arm under her legs, pulling her into my lap. She just tightened her grip around my neck. I could feel her tears soaking into the collar of my shirt. I slowly leaned forward, gathering my legs under me so I could stand. I pulled Sarah up with me. She wasn't light, but she wasn't too heavy either. I turned on the porch, walking to the door. Luckily, Sarah's grip on my neck was so tight that I had one arm free to open the door. I carefully walked in, making sure not to hit her head or legs on the door frame. I walked, slowly but surely, up the stairs, making my way to my room. The door was open, which for me was weird, but I walked in and carefully set Sarah on my bed.

She wouldn't let go of my neck when I tried to leave her on the bed, so I had no choice but to lie there with her. I lay on my back on the bed, and Sarah shifted her hold on me a bit, putting her head on my chest and her hand on my stomach. I wrapped my arm around her, trying my best to comfort her. I couldn't get her to stop crying, and each sob was hurting me too. I grabbed the remote to my stereo and turned it on to the radio station we both like. I hoped the music would calm her down a bit.

My phone started to ring. I picked it up quickly. "What is it?"

"Hey Lilly, it's Oliver."

"Oliver isn't it a little late to be calling?"

"That depends. What are you doing?"

"I can't talk now. Sarah's here and-"

"Okay, bye." He hung up quickly. "Weird," I mumbled, talking to myself. It took a moment for me to notice in the dark that Sarah had abruptly stopped crying, and was looking at me. "What?"

"What did Oliver want?"

"I don't know. When I said you were here, he just hung up."

"Weird…" She looked away. I let it go.

"Are you ok? You know, now that you're done crying?"

"I just…" She looked away from me again, facing the dark wall. "Let's not talk about it. Moment of weakness."

I wasn't sure what exactly to say, so I let that go too. We would talk about it later, whether she wanted to or not. "Ok. Well, I'm going to sleep then. I guess we don't _have_ to talk about it." I pulled her arm off me, rolling off the bed.

Sarah rolled onto her elbows. "Where are you going?"

"I just need to change." I flipped on the light switch and walked to my dresser, undressing as I looked for the clothes I needed. I pulled on a pair of long shorts, turning to face Sarah. She was staring at me. "What?" I quickly pulled on a tank top.

"I…uh…nothing." I looked at her, wondering exactly what was wrong with her. But, thinking about it, being beaten is no easy thing to deal with.

"Do you want some clothes to sleep in?"

"Um…yes?" I pulled a pair of shorts and a tank top from my dresser, tossing them to Sarah. I sat down on the edge of my bed. I covered my eyes, reminding Sarah of a joke from long ago. When we used to have sleepovers we used to cover our eyes if someone were changing. She laughed, and I waited patiently for her to speak. "Ok, all done." I uncovered my eyes.

"Well, let's go to sleep. Are you going to school tomorrow?" I asked skeptically.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Sar, have you looked in the mirror?"

She touched her face. "That bad?"

"There would be a lot of questions. Personally, I say you roll on in to school and tell guidance. They'll call 911. Don't ever let him hurt you again."

"I can't Lilly. Would you call the cops the next time your mom tries to hurt you?"

"Of cour…" I stopped, freezing the lie in its tracks. I would never call the cops on her. She needed help, not jail.

"I didn't think so." Sarah crawled up the bed, lying down facing the wall. I shut off the light, and lay down next to her. "Sorry Lilly," she said without looking at me. "I know that was harsh. I just can't do it. He only hits me when I make him mad. So I won't make---"

"No Sarah." I spoke over her, spoke to the darkness. "It's not your fault. And if I can help it, you'll live here. There's no reason for you to deal with that."

"Thanks Lilly. You're definitely the best friend ever." She scooted closer to me, and I put my arm around her.

"It's gonna be alright." We stayed in silence, and eventually, her breathing evened out. Mostly alone in the dark, my mind wandered to Miley. I wished she was here, that she was the one in my arms. I also wished she could tell me how to help Sarah. Hiding at my house would only last so long. I thought about this for a long time. But, eventually I fell asleep, my mind preparing itself for tomorrow.

* * *

I walked down a hall, looking for Miley. I couldn't find her, but I needed to. She wasn't in her classroom, so I began running, looking for her in each classroom, left and right. Suddenly she ran around the corner at the end of the hall.

"Lilly!" She shouted my name, her voice full of panicked urgency. She began running towards me at full speed. She jumped to me, wrapping her legs around my torso and her arms around my neck, holding me in a tight embrace. I almost toppled under the force with which she crashed in to me, and struggled to regain my balance. "Oh, Lilly!" Miley half-sobbed. "They know." And before I could ask her what she meant, she bent her head and crashed her lips against mine. She held on tight, kissing me hard, seeming to beg for more.

"You!" Someone yelled, but the sound seemed far away, muffled. I wasn't curious enough to pull away from Miley, to turn my head the fraction it would take to see who was here with us. Then, it occurred to me that we couldn't do this here, in school, especially with someone here.

I pulled back from her to tell her that, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the cops coming. "Miley!" I said, panicked, unable to raise my voice above a hoarse whisper. "Run! Please." Her eyes went wide, and she turned to look just as the officers were in reach. One of the cops grabbed my arms, jerking me back, while the other attempted to unlock Miley's arms from around my neck. I ripped my arms free of the cop, wrapping them around Miley's middle. He grabbed my wrists, wrenching them loose and pinning my arms around my back. "Ah!" I yelled in pain. Suddenly, Miley's arms and legs released me.

"Don't hurt her!" She yelled, allowing the cop to pull her from me.

"Miley! No!" I tried pulling away from the cop, aching to have my arms around her.

"You have the right to remain silent." The cop by Miley began, putting her wrists into cuffs, pulling her away. She never took her eyes off mine, so the cop pulled her sideways.

"I'm so sorry Lilly!" She said. "I love you!" And then she disappeared around the corner, led away by the cop. I crumpled to the ground, disintegrating into tears.

"Hey kid," I looked up at the officer. He was looking back at me with a mixture of pity and disgust on his face. "Sorry." I wasn't sure whether he was apologizing for hurting me, or taking away Miley, but before I could ask, he turned and walked away. I looked around, and suddenly, there were students everywhere, giving me the same look the cop had.

"I always knew she was a dyke ." Amber stage whispered to Ashley. All the kids in the hall started to laugh. I looked around, mortified.

Jackson's face stood out from the crowd, looking at me with a face different from the others. There was a hurt on his face, a hurt so deep that it could only compare to the pain in my soul, the pain left in the absence of Miley.

"Jackson, I---" I began, stumbling towards him. He grabbed my arms right before I got to him, then pushed me away with enough force to send me to the ground. The crowd laughed louder.

"Is that why you wanted to be in our band? To come to my house to see Miley? You've ruined her life. You're disgusting and you're worthless." He stomped away, but not before he could flash me that look of hurt again. Sarah came forward from the crowd, helping me up and pulling me towards the front door of the school. I tried to look for Jackson, but it was too late. He was gone.

---

So...what'd you think? I know it was short, and probably not what you expected. Let's see those reviews!


	13. Trapped in the Closet

Yea, Yea. I took a long time with this/ Sorry guys. My great gma died, so there was a funeral, and osftball started....ugh. Go on, read it!

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"Lilly? Lilly, wake up." I felt the earthquake, heard a quiet voice urging me awake.

I rolled over. "Stop shaking me." I growled into the pillow, trying my best to figure out where I was and slow my heart beat and breathing.

"Lilly, you were crying."

"I know…" I sat up, wiping the tears from my face, looking around. The grey light of morning was seeping in around my curtains, filling the room with an eerie grey glow. I was glad to be awake, glad the terror of my nightmare was gone. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, gazing at the wall.

"Are you ok?"

"What time is it?" I asked, avoiding her question.

"Seven thirty."

"I have to get to school." I got up, going to grab my backpack.

"What am I supposed to do today?" Her voice clearly said she felt abandoned.

"You…I don't know." I turned around to look back at her. She looked kind of pitiful on my bed. "Do you want me to stay home?" I sat down on the bed.

"Would you?"

"Of course. I'm only missing out on eight hours of boredom you know?" And my one hour a day with Miley. "Hey," I suggested. "Maybe Miley will skip too!"

Sarah looked at me doubtfully. "You want to invite your teacher to skip school?"

"Yea," I began, but then I thought of my nightmare. That was the kind of thing that could get her arrested. I sat down on the bed, my legs feeling weak. It hit me hard then. I was in love with my teacher. Not my girlfriend, my teacher. And that's illegal.

"Lilly? You ok?"

"No."

"Wanna tell me about your nightmare?"

"Sure." So I told her about it, sparing no detail.

* * *

"Lilly?" I questioned, reading off the role book. "Lilly?" I said again. I knew she wasn't here, and I tried to keep my voice from shaking. I had looked for her from the beginning. "Oliver?"

"Here."

"Jackson?"

"Here."

"Ok." I began, ready to start class and get my mind off of the fact that Lilly wasn't here. I set the role book down, sitting on the edge of my desk. "So," I said to the class, "I want to have a kind of themed class this month. I want every band to learn a song by Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars, Blink 182 and…" I hesitated. All of those bands were of about the same genre. I wanted to have at least a little variety. Does anyone have an idea for another band?"

Ashley raised her hand. "Yes, Ashley?"

"Well…I like the Jonas Brothers." The class collectively groaned, so no one heard my breath catch in my throat. Lilly likes the Jonas Brothers. _'Where is she?'_ I thought, _'I knew Chet ruined everything.'_

"That's fine." I said to Ashley. "So, those four bands. Jonas Brothers, Blink 182, Linkin Park, and 30 Seconds to Mars. I want each of you to pick one song by each of those bands, and you'll have a week to learn it. Let me know what song you picked, because I don't want any of the bands to pick the same song. For this week I want you to each pick a song by Linkin Park. Next Monday you'll all perform during class time, and I expect you to each add your own flair to the song, understand?" A few students nodded their heads. "If you don't know any of their songs, go use the computers in the back to find one you like. There are only five computers, so each band has to share one." They all stared at me. "Get going! I need to know your song choice by the end of class today." They started shuffling around, each group of students gathering around a computer.

Once I was sure their attention was no longer on me I walked around my desk, allowing the smile to slide off my face. I sat down, submitting into my computer today's absentees. "Hey, sis."

I looked up, and Jackson was at my desk. "Hey."

"We know what song we want to do."

"Already?" I asked, surprised. "Did you even look anything up?"

"No. But all of us already know the song, so the guys are in the back looking up the music."

"Oh, ok. So what song are you doing?"

"Bleed it out."

"Alright. Let me write it down." Standing up, I faced the board, writing Jackson's name with the name of the song next to it. I sat back down.

"Are you ok?"

I looked at him, and for the first time I saw the concern on his face. He swept his bangs out of his eyes. "Why do you ask?" I replied, circumventing the question.

"You look kind of down. And I know Chet came to see you yesterday."

"Oh." I looked down at the computer, wondering again if that was why Lilly was absent. "How'd you know?"

"I saw his car out front, and then heard it squeal when he pulled away. What was he doing?"

"I don't know. Trying to bother me again."

"Maybe you should get a restraining order?"

"Maybe." I agreed. " He just can't seem to let it go."

"No." He asserted. "He just can't let _you_ go." I looked into his eyes, and for a moment, I was sure he knew everything. But then I shook the feeling, knowing I was just paranoid. I mean, a murderer runs when he hears police sirens doesn't he?

"Eventually Chet will find someone else."

"I hope so."

"So where's Lilly?" I thought about how completely off topic that sounded. "Isn't she like in charge of your band?"

"You know, I have no idea." He looked behind him, almost as if he expected her to appear. "I was pretty sure she would be here today. That's what she said yesterday at lunch anyway."

"Oh." I felt a pain in my chest, and I struggled to keep my face impassive. This was getting out of hand. I'd never felt so strongly about someone, so soon. After four days I could barely think without knowing where she was, or what she was doing.

"Maybe she decided to skip. I don't know if you know her best friend, Sarah? She's in my grade, and she isn't here today either. Oliver was looking for her this morning."

I felt an unexpected stab of jealousy. Sarah was able to spend the day hanging out with Lilly, and I couldn't. "Maybe. I never would have pegged Lilly for a skipper."

"She usually isn't."

"Jackson!" One of the boys in the back of the room-Matt- was calling him.

"Gotta go." He walked to the back b the computer, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

I reached into my bag, grabbing my phone. I looked through the numbers, scrolling down to 'Buddy,' the name I had put Lilly's number under. I could easily send her a text and ask her what she was doing. But, I felt I would be more stressed if she didn't answer, or if the answer was a bad one. However, my indecision was interrupted when I received a text from 'Buddy.' I opened it.

'_What 'cha doing? = )'_

I replied quickly. _'Teaching class. You?'_

It took a minute or two, but the answer came. _'Sitting at my house with Sarah, watching Grey's Anatomy and CSI: NY reruns. I hope you like those shows. They're my favorite. PS: I miss you.'_

I read the text twice, unsure of how I managed to find a girl like Lilly. CSI and Grey's are my two favorite shows. But, mostly, I focused on the end of her text. She missed me. Maybe I hadn't scared her away.

'_I miss you too. Really, I do. Why aren't you in school?'_

Her answer came quickly. _'Sarah needed me. She had problems at home last night. That's why she called.'_

'_Is she ok?'_

'_She will be. How about you? Not shaken up from last night are you?'_

'_You're sweet. But it was you I was worried about.' _Worried seemed like too pathetic a word to describe how I'd felt. It was more like panicked, but it didn't seem ok to tell her that.

'_Don't worry about me, I just wanted to make sure you were ok.'_

"Hey Miley." I looked up, and there was Oliver, standing at my desk.

"Hi Oliver." I put my phone in my desk drawer.

"Who are you texting?"

"No one."

"Lemme guess, your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." He looked heartened by the idea. "Was there something you needed?"

He looked confused. "Oh yeah! Can I go to my locker?"

"Sure."

He snapped his fingers and pointed at me. "Thanks." He started to back away, but he caught his foot on something and fell down.

He picked himself up, looking embarrassed, and hurried out of the room while everyone laughed. I pulled my phone back out of the drawer.

'_Your friend Oliver is a piece of work.'_

_Cause if he's putting the moves on my girl, I'll kill him.'_ I smiled.

'_Are you jealous?'_

'_Of course. If he flirts with you, no one cares.' _I thought about how true that was.

'_Well, first of all, you would care. And second, I try not to date below my maturity level.'_

'_So you think I'm mature? = )'_

'_Of course. You're kind of cute too. ; )'_

'_Well you're beautiful.'_

'_I wouldn't say that.'_

'_I would. And, good news is, you're not the one that has to date you, I am.'_ I laughed, recognizing that my own words were being used against me.

'_Well, aren't you quite the copycat? I believe I said that first.'_

'_Oh, you did. Just wanted to let you know I'm listening.'_

'_I never thought you weren't. = )'_

'_Well, that's good. I wish I was listening to you now. Too bad I couldn't come today. I hate not being around you.'_ I read that twice, hoping it meant she was feeling the same way I did. I thought about kissing her goodbye last night, of how I had almost been unable to let her leave. I tightened my grip on the phone, struck by the strength of the memory.

'_I feel the exact same way. Kind of like you have a piece of me with you all the time.'_

'_Well, Miles, I'm going to keep that piece, just so you keep coming back to me.'_

'_Good. There's nowhere else I'd rather be.'_ The bell rang, and I looked up, surprised. I'd been so lost in my own little Lilly bubble that time had flown by. _'I have to go now. Ttyl?' _I needed to eat a quick lunch before teaching more high maintenance classes for the rest of the day.

'_Of course.'_

I stood up quickly, addressing the class. "The rest of the bands need to tell me what songs you've picked!" The students rushed forward, ready with their choices.

* * *

I flipped my phone closed, Miley's parting words in my head. _'Good. There's nowhere else I'd rather be.'_ There's nowhere else I'd rather be either. But I was here. I glanced at Sarah, and realized that as much as I wanted to be with Miley, Sarah needed me.

"Talking to your girlfriend?" Sarah asked without looking away from the TV.

"I was. She had to get back to work. You know, she's a teacher." I smiled. Sarah looked at me, rolling her eyes. "So what's going on?"

"Well, if you weren't being such a dork, you would know that Izzy just managed to get Denny a heart, the surgery went well, and now she's on her way t see him before going to the "prom" at the hospital for the girl with cancer."

We both lapsed into silence, returning our attention to the show. Izzy was on the screen, getting into an elevator. There was a shot of Denny, who looked kind of sick. The camera kept going back and forth between the two. I held my breath, watching as Denny slowly died. Izzy got to the room a moment after his heart stopped. Her breakdown made my heart wrench, even though I'd seen it many times. Suddenly, the show stopped.

"Sarah!" I looked at her, and she was wiping her eyes.

"I can't watch it! It's just too sad!" She jumped off the couch, switching DVDs.

"What are we gonna watch now?" I asked, annoyed.

"I'm thinking the Hollies episode of CSI: NY."

"Alright." My phone started to buzz, and I jumped to open it, hoping Miley had changed her mind. But, when I flipped it open, it was Jackson.

'_Hey. Today the band's getting together to work on a song for next week. Let me know if you can come.'_

'_Yea, I'll be there.'_

'_Sure, see you later.'_

"Who was that?"

"Jackson. I have to go to his house at about three."

"Oh. Can I come?"

"Let me see your face." She looked at me, and the bruises were considerably lighter than they had been yesterday. They were a yellowish color, and by tomorrow would probably be completely gone. "You'll have to use a little cover-up."

"I can do that."

"I still say you tell someone."

"I still say no."

"Of course." I grabbed my phone to text Jackson.

'_Can Sarah come too?'_

'_Sure. As long as she doesn't mind just sitting around while we play and stuff.'_

'_She doesn't.'_

'_Cool. Tonight we're going to try to record parts to see how we sound.'_

'_Sounds good.'_

"Sarah? What time does your dad work until?"

"About four. Why?"

"Well, if you're going to be living here, I say we get everything you need from your house."

"Oh. That is a good idea."

I checked my phone. "After this episode we'll go ok?"

"Ok." We turned our attention back to the TV, watching the Hollies rob the bank, take the money, and then get hunted down by the owner of the blood diamonds they stole. In the end, Lindsay pretended to be Beth, one of the girls, and saved the day. The episode ended with Danny bursting into the room to find Lindsay, then holding her close to him. It was kind of sweet.

I stood up, shutting of the TV. "Let's go."

Sarah stood up reluctantly. "Ok."

She looked nervous. "What?"

"Nothing. I just—I hope he went to work today."

"Me too. Come on."

We both got into my car, and I drove the four blocks to Sarah's. The driveway was empty, but I didn't pull in. I parked my car in front of the house next door. Sarah gave me a worried look before getting out. "Crap."

"What?"

"I don't have my keys."

"Where are they?"

"In my room. I didn't bring them last night."

"No problem." I walked into the backyard, jumping the fence. I tried all the windows until I found one that was unlocked. "Come here. I'll give you a boost up." Sarah climbed onto my hands, and I pushed her up to climb through the window.

It took a few moments, but then Sarah unlocked the back door. "Let's go," she half-whispered.

"Sarah," I said in a normal tone, "You live here. It's not actually breaking in, so don't act so guilty."

"Fine." We both hurried upstairs.

"So what are we taking?"

"All of my clothes."

"Are we bringing your dresser?"

"Definitely."

We quickly began taking out all of Sarah's drawers, leaving the dresser standing empty. We carefully brought it downstairs, unlocking the front door and carrying it down the front stairs to my car. Despite what I said to Sarah, I looked around suspiciously before opening the back door of my car. The dresser barely fit, and we could only shut the doors once the windows were open.

I opened the trunk, and Sarah and I went upstairs, bringing down the dresser drawers. They fit easily in the trunk.

"Is there anything else you need?" I asked Sarah.

"My laptop, cell phone charger, and my keys."

"Ok, let's get them." We both went back upstairs.

"Here," She handed me a messenger bag. "This is my laptop." She grabbed a book bag off the desk in the corner, slinging it over her shoulder as she pulled a charger out of the wall. "Can you grab my CD's too?"

"Um…where are they?"

"By the stereo."

I walked over to the stereo, picking up the portfolio full of CDs. Sarah picked her keys up off the floor. "I'm ready."

"Ok then, let's go."

I heard a car door slam, and Sarah looked out her window. "Oh Shit."

"What?"

"He's home."

"Ok," I managed to choke, panicked. "Run downstairs and go straight out the back door. I'll meet you there."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just go!" She turned and ran out of her room and down the stairs. I followed close behind her, until she turned towards the back of the house and I charged to the front. Thankfully, we'd shut the door last time we had come in, so all I had to do was lock it.

I had just turned the bolt when the handle started to shake. Someone was trying to come in. I looked around, looking for a place to hide. I saw the closet by the couch and ran for it, barely getting Sarah's laptop bag in and closing the door before I heard voices in the house.

"Are you sure we can be here?" A man asked. It wasn't a voice I recognized.

"Of course. It's my house." I recognized the voice of Sarah's father, Jack. It was a voice I'd hear many times. I turned the handle of the closet, opening the door an inch or two so I could see Sarah's Dad. He was a man of medium build, he had short brown hair with natural highlights (according to Sarah) and, oddly enough, no beer belly. I shifted a little, trying to see the other man.

"So," Jack said. "What do you want to do? I did skip work for you." He had a smile on his face, which was strange, because I can't remember the last time he smiled.

"How about this?" The other man asked, and he stepped into my field of vision. He had black hair. It was longer and unkempt, but it fit him perfectly. He was in good shape, probably in his early thirties. He grabbed Jack by his t-shirt and started kissing him. Jack kissed him back hungrily. The other man started undoing Jack's belt, and he moaned.

"Oh, Troy." He pulled off Troy's shirt, revealing the rock hard muscles underneath. I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want t watch, but the shock of it all kept my eyes wide open. Troy pulled Jack's pants down and Jack stepped out of them. Jack had his back to me, and I couldn't see, but I could guess where Troy's hands were going. Jack grabbed Troy's wrist, stepping back from him. He kissed him quickly. "What do you say we take this upstairs?"

"I thought you'd never ask." They both ran to my left, charging up the stairs like a couple of children, excited for Christmas. I could hear one of them squeal on their way up. After the door upstairs slammed, I waited a minute before leaving the closet. I looked at Jack's pants and Troy's shirt for a minute before walking out the front door, shutting it quietly. I walked over to my car, getting in the driver's seat. I handed Sarah her laptop and CD's. She was already in the passenger side.

"Lilly?" she asked me urgently. "What happened? Did he catch you? Lilly? She started sounding panicked. "Lilly! Talk to me!"

I tried to wipe the shell-shocked look off my face before Sarah could begin to hyperventilate. "Sarah, is your dad gay?" I tried to keep my voice even; it was just so strange.

"Of course not. He's been married to my mom for twenty years. Why?"

"Because he was in there. With a man. Making out with a man. Named Troy. I saw him." My sentences were short and choppy, and they were all I could manage for the moment.

"Troy? Troy Jacobs?"

"I don't know. Black hair? Strong body?"

"Oh. My. God. Troy works with my Dad. He's always over. He's been bringing my mom and I Christmas presents for years." I waited for her to say more, but she didn't. I turned on the car, heading to my house. Sarah and I unloaded everything we'd gotten from her house into my room in silence. I wasn't sure what she was feeling, so I couldn't say anything to make her feel better.

I looked at the clock. It was two forty-five. "Do you still want to go to Jackson's with me?"

"Yea, let's go." I grabbed my guitar, following Sarah out the door. We were at Jackson's in no time.

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That wasn't as good as I rmemebered it being...Maybe you guys will dig the next chapter. Review please!


	14. Sex Hair

Oh look guys, two chapters in one day. I know you probably can't stand my sad attempts at balancing a storyline with a Liley line. So...Here's a Liley chapter just for you guys.

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"Lilly, what happened to your hand?" Jackson asked, concerned.

I'd forgotten about my hand, which hadn't pained me at all today. However, I'd left the bandage on, because the bruises looked very painful. "I slammed it in my car last night." I lied smoothly. "It hurt."

"Can you---" he began.

"Still play?" He snapped his mouth shut. "Yes. I think. I actually haven't tried yet. But it doesn't hurt now, so I think so."

"Good. Hey Sarah."

"Hey Jackson."

"So," I asked, "Where is everyone else?"

"They're upstairs on the computer. We're looking up the last of the music, and Jake is downstairs listening to the song, trying to get the drum beat right. He'll probably have it in a few minutes."

"Ok." There was a slightly awkward pause. "Where's your family?"

"Well, Dad's away until next Sunday, and Miley doesn't leave school until around 5 today."

"Oh. Ok."

Sarah gave me a look, apparently thinking I was being too blunt. But, before anyone could say anything, Oliver and Matt came charging down the stairs, papers in hand.

Hey, Lill-" Oliver stopped, seeing Sarah. "What are you doing here?" He asked, not rudely.

"Just hanging out with Lilly, coming to see how you guys sound."

"Anyways," Matt cut into the conversation, "We've got the music, so let's go guys." Oliver started moving again, racing Matt down the stairs.

"Well," Jackson looked at Sarah and I, "Let's."

I pulled my guitar case higher up on my shoulder and Sarah and I followed Jackson to the recording room.

"So, I think we should all go into the room one at a time, recording our parts separately. Then we can lay them together into the song. After that we'll play together as a group. Is that ok?"

We all murmured in agreement, then Jackson continued. "So, there's a rap part in the beginning, and I figured you would want that right Oliver?"

"Of course."

"Well Lilly," he gestured at me, "is going to play lead guitar, so you'll play the second, rapping over the beginning of the song and all the other rap parts too."

"So I'm still singing?" I asked him.

"Yea. You'll do the bleed it out part. Can you do the almost scream part? The way they do in the real song?"

"Yes. It won't sound exactly the same, but I think it will sound ok though. If it doesn't, I'm sure we can figure something else out."

"Ok, so who wants to go first?"

"I'll do it." Jake spoke up. "I think I can finish the fastest. When I'm in there though, I want to listen to it first so I can hear the beat one more time. Ok?"

"Sure."

Jake walked in to the room, sat on his stool and put on his headphones. He picked up his drum sticks and gave the thumbs up. Jackson turned a few knobs, then pressed play, turning up the volume until Jake nodded to him. Jake listened in silence, nodding, I assumed, to the beat. Then, he broke out, drumming along with the song. When it ended, he pulled his headphones down, pressed a button.

"Are you ready to record?"

"Totally. Let's go."

"Ok. Put your headphones on, thumbs up when you're ready." Jake put his headphones on, pulling the Mic down towards him. He got his drumsticks ready, and Jackson hit record. Jack gave him the thumbs up, and Jackson hit play on the song. Jake reacted immediately, starting by doing background vocals on the first rap section, saying 'Time, Line, Sine, Mind.' In just the first lines alone. He went over a few more words, then there was a short pause and he came in with the drum, pounding on it. He kept up a good beat, sometimes pausing and sometimes going faster. He was maybe a minute from the end of the song when he messed up. I wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't paused a few beats. Then, he looked up, pulling off his headphones. Jackson paused the song and stopped recording. He pushed the button.

"You can cut that together right?" Jake asked. "Or do I have to start over?"

"No. You'll just have to start from about thirty seconds before that so we can put the parts together."

"Ok, good." Jake put his headphones back on, finishing the song with no further incident. Matt went next. There wasn't actually any keyboard in the song, so he was going to listen to it a few times, then add whatever he wanted, maybe putting in his own little keyboard solo. It would mean there would be a small break in the drumming, but we all agreed that would be ok. While Matt was first beginning to listen to the song I picked up the lead guitar papers,, trying to memorize the words before it was my turn. The music wouldn't be too hard; I'd heard this song a few times before.

I was just getting ready to go in, but by the time Matt finished it was about six, and everyone was hungry. So, we put everything away and went upstairs, looking for food. Miley was there, just starting dinner.

I hadn't realized it until I saw her, but there was an aching in my chest, a pain that wouldn't go away. But, just being in the same room with her made that go away. Unfortunately, it was replaced by a new feeling, a sort of electricity that pulled me in her direction, telling my brain to reach out and touch her. My heart beat faster, as if it hadn't functioned properly all day. I wanted nothing more than to follow that instinct, wrap her in my arms, and take her away. She looked up as she heard us all come into the kitchen. There was a look of mild surprise on her face when she saw us all, but a smile spread quickly across her face when she saw me.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, then shut it. She started over. "I didn't know everyone was here Jackson." She gave him a look.

"Sorry, Miles. We'll have enough food for everyone right?" He looked hopeful.

The look on Miley's face softened. "Sure we do. I've got to go next door to get some more noodles for the spaghetti though, so I'll be right back. Lilly, you want to come help me?"

I looked at her, surprised she was asking me, in front of everyone, to come to her house. "Sure," I managed to choke out past my beating heart. The boys headed upstairs to play games, and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oliver drag Sarah out of the back door. Miley walked to the garage door that was in the house, and we found ourselves alone in the garage. I followed Miley through the door in the garage to the stairs that led to her front door. She paused, reaching her hand behind her. Knowing what she wanted, I reached out and took her hand. I loved that it was so smooth, and just the right size for mine. We kept going up the stairs, and she unlocked the door with the keys in her other hand.

Once we were inside I reached by the doorway, flipping on the light switch. It looked exactly the same on the inside as it had last night. Miley gently pulled me into the kitchen, and she leaned against the island. She quickly kissed me on the lips.

"You know, I missed you today."

"I missed you too."

"I actually thought-" she looked down, ashamed.

"Thought what?"

"I thought that, after last night, Chet had scared you away." She didn't look back up at me.

I touched the side of her face, gently pulling her chin up so she would look at me. "Miles, it's too late for anything to scare me away from you. You've got me."

I pulled the hand I was still holding up and kissed it. Miley watched me do it. I let go of her hand. She put her hand on my neck, and my heart started to race again. Suddenly, her lips were on mine. This was different from any time we'd kissed before, which had started out hesitant, progressively getting more intense. There was a fire in this, a fire neither of us could control.

Miley and I pushed at each other, fiercely wrapping our arms around one another. I thrust my tongue into her mouth, and she wrapped her hands in my hair, holding me ass close to her as I could be. My hands traveled down her back, resting under the edge of her shirt, touching the soft skin there. She moved, kissing her way down my jawline, then sucking ever so softly on my neck. She kissed my neck again, making her way back to my mouth.

Out tongues wrapped around each other, and the room got hotter. Miley put her arms around my neck, and I picked her up, putting her on the island. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I settled my hand on her waist, fiercely kissing her. Miley took her arms from around my neck, pulling up my t-shirt. I pulled away from her, raising my arms so my t-shirt could come off. Miley threw it on the floor, and, kissing her again, I undid the buttons on her blouse, slid it down her shoulders, and it came to rest on the island. I put my hand at the base of her back, pulling myself closer to her so that our stomachs were touching. She ran her hand lightly down my back, causing me to shudder while goosebumps sprang up on my arms. She pulled back a bit, sliding her hand over the toned muscles on my arms, then lightly across the defined muscles of my stomach. I tensed my muscles, and Miley looked away from me.

"You're very in shape Lilly." She didn't wait for me to answer. "You're very young."

"I know."

"I just…I don't understand."

"What?"

"You." She wrapped her legs tighter around me, as if afraid I would pull away. "I'm afraid to lose you. I need you. And it's soon. Too soon."

I didn't know what to say to that, and, apparently, Miley had nothing more to say either. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me to her once more, kissing me with the same intensity as before. I leaned towards her, until she was lying on the counter with my hands on either side of her. I kissed her, massaging her tongue with mine. Her hands traveled up and down my torso, leaving burning trails wherever they touched me. I kissed her cheek, down to her neck, across her collarbone, and then back up. Then, a phone rang.

I reached into Miley's pocket, and without thinking, answered it. Miley kissed the side of my cheek, nibbling on my ear, holding me down close to her. "H-hello?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Miley?" The voice on the phone asked. I looked at the screen. It said Jackson.

"N-no. It's Lilly." Finally Miley stopped, looking at me. She gently ran her fingers through my hair, which was hanging over her face, but it didn't cover up the worry in her eyes.

"Why do you have Miley's phone?"

I thought quickly. "Miley left her phone on the island. She's in the bathroom."

"Ok. What's taking you two so long? You've been gone twenty minutes."

"Well…" I panicked, looking for a reason. "We've been looking, and we can't find any of her spaghetti noodles. We might have to go to the store."

"Ok. Hurry back." He hung up without saying goodbye. I shut the phone, and Miley took it from my hand. She sighed, and I knew we needed to go back.

"Sorry Miles. I don't know what I was thinking, answering your phone like that."

"Lilly, we have to be careful. It was Jackson though, so he won't care. But what if that'd been my boss? How could I honestly explain spending time with a student?"

"Miley, we're girls. What can we really do?"

She looked at me, then pointedly stared down. I was still leaning over her, and we were both shirtless. I got her point. "Ah. Sorry. But would your boss really call you cell phone?"

"No…but not the point." I stood up, backing away from her. "You're not careful enough Lilly. Just, please."

"Ok, ok. I am sorry." I picked up my shirt. "I was otherwise occupied you know?" I put it back on.

Miley was still looking at my stomach, which was now covered by my shirt. She looked up at me. "Oh, I know." She picked up her shirt, getting ready to put it back on.

"Do you?" I stepped to her, grabbing her shirt so she couldn't put it on. I kissed her, and she kissed me back, almost desperately.

"No!" She half yelled, pulling the shirt from my hands. "If we keep this up, we'll never get out of here!"

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Yes Lil." She finished buttoning her shirt. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a box of spaghetti noodles. She turned around, and looking at me, burst out laughing.

"What?" I demanded self consciously.

"You," she gasped, still laughing, "Have sex hair."

"I wish." I muttered, stepping into the bathroom to see for myself. I couldn't really tell, but Miley muttered something that sounded a lot like 'Me too.' I went to fix my hair, and Miley stood next to me, as we prepared to head back to the other side of the house, where we would play innocent yet again.

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Go on. Please review.

PS...I just heard something fantastic from my great reviewing buddy Croaker001. I just passed 200 reviews. Thanks a lot guys, I love that you love to read me. Woo!!


	15. Party For Two

Sorry for the long distance between update times. My mom blocked FanFiction on my computer, so I couldn't get here. Read on!

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I looked at Miley, watched as she gestured to the class. In that moment, I knew we never should have made out last night. I never should have let her take my shirt off; I never should have taken hers off. As she stood in front of the class and spoke I thought of the feel of her skin on mine, of the freedom we could only exhibit in her apartment. My mind wandered to how last night had ended.

We'd gone back next door to cook dinner, standing side by side, trying not to touch each other. There was an almost palpable electricity between us, and I knew she could feel it too; I could see it in the set of her jaw and the fire in her eyes, and I could do nothing but attempt to ignore it. Everyone had sat at the table while Miley set the food on the table, and it had just happened that the last open chair was next to me. We ate, and at times our arms brushed, causing us both to freeze. No one noticed, but I did see Oliver watching Sarah, who was on my other side, and sometimes me. I wondered what was up with that doughnut, but I didn't ask.

After dinner Sarah and I left. I said goodnight to Miley, but, with everyone around, I did it casually, saying goodbye to the boys at the same time. I didn't like it, talking to her as if she was only as important to me as the boys. It felt like a lie. Then again, my whole life was dragging into a lie.

I looked up again, and Miley was sitting down. She must have been finished talking. I hadn't heard a single thing she'd said. She gave me a small smile before turning to her computer. I looked down at my desk, feeling my face heat up.

"Hey, Lilly." Someone said, moving into the empty desk next to mine.

I looked up, saw who the person was. "Hey Jackson. What's up?"

"Matt's having a party this Friday. Want to come with me?"

I thought about it. "Sure, I'm not doing anything."

"Ok. Pick you up at eight." He went to the back of the room with Oliver and Matt. I vaguely wondered why he thought he needed to drive me; I have my own car. It didn't seem important though, so I didn't think about it.

Friday came quickly. I sat at home, waiting for Jackson to come get me for the party. Sarah had gone to Matt's already, to hang out with him before the party.

A horn honked outside my house. I grabbed my hoody, and sped out the door, shouting goodbye to my mom, who was lying on the couch. She was getting wasted early tonight, so I was glad to be leaving. Hurrying, I shut the door and jogged to Jackson's car. When I got in I noticed how well he was dressed. He had on light faded jeans, and a white v-neck t-shirt with a black and red plaid button-down over it. "You look nice Jackson."

"Thanks. You look good too." I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, with my holey jeans and my white long sleeve shirt under the black v-neck t-shirt. It wasn't really nice at all, just the same thing I usually wore.

"Uh…thanks?" He looked a little embarrassed as he looked away and started to drive away from my house. We drove in silence, and for the first time I could remember, it was awkward.

I was relieved when we finally arrived at Matt's and got out of the car. There was a huge smile on Jackson's face. "What?" I asked, slightly paranoid.

"Ready to dance?"

"Heck yes!" He offered me his arm, and I linked my arm through his with a smile on my face. It was about time I just hang with friends and have some fun. Jackson and I went inside through the open door.

Crossing over the threshold I was immediately swallowed up by the volume of the music and the press of bodies in the house. I felt the beat of the bass all the way to my core, and, as I watched, I saw Marc and some girl I recognized heading upstairs, laughing, and probably already drunk.

Someone slammed into me from the side, and Jackson put his arm around my side, stopping me from falling over. "Thanks!" I shouted, making sure he could hear me. He pulled me with him into the kitchen.

"Want a drink?"

"Sure." He poured us both a beer from the keg. He handed me mine, and immediately started gulping down his. I looked at my beer, unsure of whether or not to drink it. Jackson must have seen my look.

"You ever drink before?" I shook my head. I didn't want to tell him about my mom, and about how I was slightly afraid I could be an alcoholic too. "Just try it. Trust me."

Jackson had said to trust him, so I took a small sip. It tasted like crap. "This is disgusting!"

"Give it some time. It's an acquired taste." He drained the rest of his cup, filling it again while we were still in the kitchen. Not to be outdone, I took another sip of mine. Jackson watched me over the rim of his cup, so I took another gulp, holding my breath so I wouldn't taste it. Jackson laughed at me. I coughed. "See? Acquired taste!" He took my cup, and refilled the part that I had drunk. He handed it back to me, and putting his arm around me, we walked back into the living room. Jackson and I danced together, messing around and having a good time.

After a few hours I couldn't dance any more. There was only room on the couch, so Jackson and I sat down on it, watching everyone else continue to dance around. I quietly sipped another beer, trying to ignore my gag reflex.

"Hey, Lils!" Sarah dropped onto the couch next to me, pulling Matt with her. He put his arm around her shoulder, and I vaguely wondered if they were going to start going out.

"Hey Sar, Matt."

"What are you two doing here?" Matt asked, gesturing towards Jackson and I.

"Just hanging out. You did invite us." Jackson answered him. They started to talk, and Sarah and I rolled our eyes. I went to take another sip of my beer, and realized with a shock it was empty again. I got up to get another.

"Where you going?" Sarah and Jackson asked me at the same time.

"I'm going to get another drink." I pulled Sarah up by her hand, and she stumbled into me. "Have you been drinking?" I asked her.

"Oh yess." She giggled, but it was oddly garbled. We went back to the kitchen, and I filled my cup from one of the kegs that was on the table again. I gulped down half the cup, suddenly very thirsty. Sarah took it from my hand, drinking the other half. I started feeling a little tipsy, and the room was rocking a bit. I wondered why everyone had said drinking was so bad, and I finally understood why my mom liked it so much. I filled my cup one more time, then went back to Jackson and Matt with Sarah. They met us in the doorway. "What?" She asked them.

"Come on. We're going swimming." Matt put his hand around Sarah's waist, and Jackson came up to my side, walking with me to the backyard. It was already dark out, but the porch lights were on. Kids were cheering, screaming, and jumping into the pool in the backyard. The lights didn't reach all the way to the far side of the pool, but I was pretty sure there were kids making out in the water.

"I don't have a bathing suit…" I mumbled. I heard laughing and turned around. Matt and Jackson were behind me in their boxers.

"None of us are wearing suits." Matt laughed again.

Jackson chimed in. "Come on Lilly. Don't be a wuss. Let's go." He started pulling on my shirt. I pulled away from him, taking it off by myself. Sarah started to strip next to me. I took off my jeans, keeping them away from the pool so my cell phone wouldn't get soaked. "Let's go!" Jackson wrapped his arms around me, gathering me up.

"Jackson no, wait…" I started, but it was too late. He jumped into the pool, holding me close to him. I found myself underwater, and I tried to thrash, to pull myself above the water. But, my arms couldn't react fast enough. Just as I was sure I was going to run out of air, Jackson kicked to the surface, pulling me with him. I gasped for air. "Jackson!" I smacked his chest. "Jerk!" I pushed away from him, swam away as fast as I could. It wasn't very fast. He swam up behind me, pulling me by my ankle. There was a strange look in his eyes, and at first I didn't recognize it. I realized a moment too late it was the same look Miley gives me. He kissed me, trying to stick his tongue in my mouth. I pushed against him, unable to take the treachery and the roughness in his boy kiss. I thought of Miley, and with renewed strength pushed him as hard as I could.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked angrily.

"This is why you're here isn't it?" He said back.

"No!"

"Oh come on Lils…" He tried to kiss me again. I smacked him across the face. I jumped quickly out of the pool, grabbing my clothes and pulling my pants on as fast as I could. My head spun, and I felt the urge to throw up. I ran through the house, trying to cover up my tears. Nothing seemed to go right these days. I ran out the front door and down the street before I realized I was miles from home with no car. It also registered in the back of my head that I was slightly drunk, and shouldn't drive anyway. I sat down on the curb, dropping my shirt on the sidewalk. I called Miley.

The phone rang and rang. Just as I was about to give up and put the it down, Miley answered. "Hello?"

"Miley?" I whispered shakily.

"Lilly? Are you ok?"

"No."

"What's wrong? Where are you?"

I looked around for a sign, then told her where I was. "Could you come get me?"

She cleared her throat like she'd been sleeping. "Of course. Give me five minutes and I'll be right there." She hung up, and I put my phone back in my pocket. I hung my head, trying to cover the pounding with my hands.

Less than five minutes had passed before Miley sped up in her Mustang. She screeched to a stop, then pushed my door open from the inside. "Lilly?" her panicked voice spilled from the car.

I picked up my t-shirt and got in, ignoring the fact that the butt of my jeans was soaked. I sat in the chair, and the leather stuck to my back, but it was cool and I was hot, so I didn't mind. I shut the door quickly.

"Lilly?" Miley questioned me again. "Lilly what happened?"

I shut my eyes against her worried look and my embarrassed tears. "Miley I---" I stopped.

"Are you drunk?"

"Can you---Can you just drive me home?"

She didn't answer, but I felt the car begin to move. There was silence for a while, except for the sound of the wheel turning, and Miley alternating between the gas and brake pedals. I kept my eyes closed, afraid that if I opened them I would see the disappointment I was sure was on Miley's face. I could see the streetlights go by through my eyelids. They had a sickly orange glow that made my stomach turn.

Just as I thought I was going to throw up, the car stopped. I could hear a garage door closing, so I finally opened my eyes. We were in Miley's garage.

"What are we doing here?"

Instead of answering me, Miley got out of the car. She walked around to my door and pulled it open. I noticed that Jackson's car still wasn't there, and neither was Robbie Ray's. "I want you to stay here tonight. I don't think you should go home like this."

"You want me…to stay?" I choked on my words, then tripped as I tried to get out of the car. Miley reached forward, grabbing me before I could fall. Her smooth hands felt good on my shoulders, and I felt my face heat up. She let go of me and led the way up the stairs. We were just inside the door when I had to run to the bathroom and throw up.

Miley came rushing in beside me, holding back my hair. She stood with me until I was finished, and the heaves were gone. I stood up, and she handed me a wet washcloth and Listerine. I wiped the sweat off my face, then used the mouthwash and followed Miley out of the bathroom. I started to get nervous when she didn't say anything.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as she went through the drawers and babinets, and then the fridge.

"I'm going to make you some food."

"I'm not hungry." I said defiantly. As if determined to prove me wrong, my stomach growled audibly.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" She asked, ignoring my previous statement. She paused, looking up at me. "Please?" Her baby blue eyes melted me straight to my core.

I tore my eyes away, fixed them on the counter as I put my elbows on it. "I got drunk."

"Lilly, teenagers who just get drunk don't call crying. Please. Did someone hurt you?"

I was unsure of how to tell her I'd kissed her brother, so I began at the beginning.

"During your class the other day, Jackson came and asked me to go to Matt's party with him." I looked up for her reaction. She was pulling food out of the fridge. "So he picked me up tonight at eight for the party. We got there, and there was alcohol everywhere, like full kegs on the table in the kitchen. I wasn't sure if I should drink anything, but Jackson said it would be ok. But it wasn't. We danced in the living room with everyone else for a while, then we all went outside to swim. None of us had bathing suits, so we all stripped down to our underwear, and Jackson grabbed me and pulled me in with him. Then, in the water, he kissed me." I hung my head. "I pushed him away, but he tried to kiss me again, so I slapped him and ran. But I had no way to get home. So…" I left off, worried.

"Did you kiss him back?"

"No." I answered, without looking up. Suddenly, her arms were around me. "Wha…?"

"I'm sorry Lilly. Jackson told me you two were going to a party, and he said there was going to be a girl he liked there, but I had no idea it was going to be you. I would have warned you."

"It's not your fault." She let go and went back to the fridge, pulling out food.

"Do you like eggs?"

"Yes."

"Good." She pulled out a few pans and started making eggs. I sat down at the island, feeling a little sick. When Miley finished cooking she put a plate in front of me and one next to me for her. "Here you go." She put her hand on my back. "Are you ok?"

I looked at her, confused. "Why?"

"You're burning up."

"It is hot in here, but I'm ok."

Her eyes lingered on my bare shoulder. "Where is your shirt?"

"I left it in the car." I picked up my fork and started to eat. Miley sat down next to me. We ate in silence. When we finished she left the dishes in the sink, and motioned for me to follow her upstairs.

"If you don't want to sleep with a shirt on, that's fine, but I have shorts so you don't have to sleep in your jeans." She handed me the shorts.

"Thanks, Miles." I changed fast.

"If you want, we can sleep in the bed, but if that makes you uncomfortable, I'll sleep on the cou---"

"No." I breathed. "We can sleep on the bed."

She smiled at me for the first time tonight. My heart lifted. She took off her shirt, and pulled on a tank top. Then she changed into a pair of sweatpants. I looked at the clock in an effort not to watch her change. It was almost one.

Miley walked over and shut off the light, and the alarm clock bathed the room in a greenish glow. Miley walked around the bed to me, pulling back the covers and grabbing my hand. She pulled me into the bed with her. We laid side by side, not touching, but I could feel the electricity between us. She reached over hesitantly, lying on her side and tracing shapes on my bare stomach. I put my arm around her, resting my hand on her hip. I put my fingers on the bare skin of her waist where her tank top rose a bit above her pants. She ran her fingers across my collar bone, down my chest, then put her palm on my stomach, making little circles with her thumb. I gasped, feeling goosebumps spring up all over me.

"Lilly?" Miley whispered, even though we were alone.

"Yea?"

She paused, and for a moment I thought she wasn't going to say anything. Then she did. At first I didn't hear her, because she mumbled it into my shoulder.

"What?"

"I said," She stopped again. "'I love you.'"

I put my hand over hers, answering without hesitation. "I love you, too."

"Really?" She propped herself up on one elbow and looked me in the eyes. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do. Do you know how much it kills me every day when I can't spend every single minute with you?"

She leaned down, kissing me gently on the lips. And, again, we flared up into an explosion of fire. She rolled on top of me, putting one hand on my cheek and one in my hair. I linked my arms around her waist, holding her close to me. I slid my tongue into her mouth. She slid her hand down my chest, my stomach, and to my pants. I pulled away from her. "Wait." She stopped, with a question and hurt in her eyes, tinted by the green light. "We can't do this now. I'm seventeen. If we do…this right now and get caught, you can be arrested. In March I'll be eighteen, and there will be nothing anyone can do about it."

"I know." She said, somewhat regretfully. "I know you're right. I just…I want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too. More than anything." My voice cracked, and I thought my resolve might crack too. I ran my hand across her shoulder blades and down the center of her back, then up and down again.

"Lilly, if you want us to wait, you'll stop doing that."

"Sorry." I stopped.

"It's ok." She rolled over so that she was no longer on top of me. She put her arm around me, and I held her hand with my left. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Are you a lesbian?"

My blood ran cold at the word. "I'm not really sure. I think so."

"Have you ever dated boys?"

"I've never dated anyone before you. Are you gay?"

"I don't know. I-I've never thought about a girl like this before. I've always dated men, but the day I first saw you in class, that was it. And then, when you were here that day, it was all I could do to not tell you I loved you right there. The way you stuttered was so cute I almost couldn't stand it. And when you touched my hair, I almost lost it. It was about then I suspected. I could never be straight and feel the way I feel about you." She sighed, snuggling closer so her head was resting on my chest, in the crook of my neck.

"Do you regret it?"

"I regret how people will react when they find out."

"So you plan to tell them?"

"We won't date in secret forever. Once you graduate, it will be ok."

"Only seven months."

She laughed bitterly. "Yes. Only."

"How will Jackson and Robbie Ray take it?"

There was silence, and I thought she'd fallen asleep. I stared at the ceiling. "You still awake?" She asked me, about five minutes later.

"Yes."

"I don't think they'll take it well. I'm afraid to think about it."

I thought about it, about how Jackson and I had been like family since he and Robbie Ray had moved here in the ninth grade. That was all going to change now anyway, now that I knew he liked me, but I didn't want us to no longer be friends. It hurt me to think that he and Robbie Ray could hate me for who I was. I hadn't chosen to be this way. Love had found me. I would never in a million years be sad about finding Miley, but something told me the rest of the world wouldn't see it that way.

She broke the silence. "I love that you're mine."

"I love you." I reveled in the sentence, glad that I could finally use the words without the fear that had been in my mind in the month that I'd known her.

"I love you too." She moved her head a bit and kissed me on the cheek. My heart took off racing. Being with Miley was definitely going to be something I could never get used to. She started tracing circles on the back of my hand with her thumb. "We should try to go to sleep now."

"I don't want to." Even to my own ears I sounded like a little kid defying their parent.

"Come on Lil. We have all of tomorrow together, and Sunday if you want it."

"I will."

"Me too. Goodnight." She pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, so that most of my bare torso was covered. She kissed my cheek again.

"Night." I lay there with her, staring at the ceiling, hoping for sleep to come. I was unsure if it would, as even my subconscious must have been aware that every moment sleeping was a moment I was missing with Miley. But, eventually, I sunk into the darkness with my arms around the woman I love.

---

So...what'd you think? This is the first time I've read over it in a while, and I have to say, I'n proud of the end of the night. It sounds like poetry. Review please!


	16. Life's A Beach

This is a short one, working on a longer one now.

---

I woke up the next morning sweating slightly, even though I only had shorts on. My mind chased away the last dregs of a nightmare I couldn't remember, and I looked around, unsure of where I was. The memories of last night came back to me, and I threw off the blanket in search of Miley. I followed the smell of food.

She was downstairs in the kitchen, cooking and dancing with her ipod in. I snuck up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. She jumped, pulling out one of her headphones and turning around in my arms. I kissed her. "What are you listening to?" She offered me the headphone and I put it by my ear.

'You can change your hair and you can change your clothes  
You can change your mind, that's just the way it goes  
You can say goodbye, you can say hello  
But you'll always find your way back home.'

I took out the headphone, letting it fall to Miley's chest. "You listen to yourself?" For some reason, I found this surprising.

"Sometimes. Actually, a lot. I really like the songs I used to sing. Want to let me go?" She asked, smiling and raising an eyebrow.

"Why should I?" I asked, tightening my grip.

"Because if you don't, lunch will burn."

"Fair enough." I said, relinquishing my hold on her. "And what do you mean, lunch?"

"It's almost twelve-thirty."

I peeked over her shoulder, saw that she was making french toast. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked so peaceful." She put bacon on another pan. "You might want to back up."

"Why?"

"Have you ever stood by bacon cooking without a shirt on before?"

"Yes." I answered quickly, pretending to be tough.

"Suit yourself." She dropped a few pieces of bacon into the hot pan, where they sizzled for a few moments, and then the first one popped loudly, throwing grease onto my bare shoulder.

"Ow! Ow!" I howled. "Well that sucked." I said, quickly moving away from the pan. She laughed at me, and I used a pouty face.

She looked at me. "Oh don't pout! I warned you!"

I stepped back, not eager to be burned again. Miley flipped the French toast, then leaned against the island next to me. "I want to go get my shirt."

"No, I'll do it." I didn't ask her why; no one could see me in the garage. "Watch the food. BRB." She laughed.

"BRB?" She set down the spatula and went out the door, unlocking the bolt as she laughed. She came back after about a minute, tossing me my shirts. I separated them, pulling on just the black v-neck.

Miley went back to the food, putting the French toast on two plates. With her back still to me she spoke. "What are we doing today?"

"We?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, we." She turned around. "Unless you want me to drive you home. I can do that if you like." Her tone was willing, but her eyes were not.

"No, I don't want to go home. But what can we do? We can't go out."

"Sure we can." She smiled that wide, dazzling smile. "We can go to the beach."

"What?" I figured this was a joke, and I just wasn't getting it. "There are people we know everywhere on the beach."

"No, no. I have a secret spot. It's almost half an hour away though."

"That's fine. Do you know how to surf?"

"No."

"I could teach you. I mean, if you want me to."

"Sounds like fun." She turned, taking the bacon off the pan and putting it on the two plates. She handed me mine, and we ate in silence, except for random giggles that passed between us as she exaggerated the amount of arm space she needed. Every time she took a bite, she elbowed me, making me drop my food.

After an unnecessary amount of time, we finally finished eating. "We'll need to stop at my house before we go, so I can get my suit and surfboard."

"Ok." She put the dishes in the sink. "I'm going to get ready, and then we'll go to your house." She went upstairs. When she came back she had on a pair of jean cutoff shorts, a brightly colored bikini top, and an unbuttoned button up shirt. She carried a beach bag. "So let's go." She dazzled me with her smile again, and I gave her a weak smile back.

"You ok?" She asked, concerned.

"Better than ever." I replied, feeling my face heat up again.

She went our the door, and I followed her down. We drove to my house, and she dropped me off, parking down the corner. I walked in, looking first to see if anyone was home. I didn't see anyone, so I ran up the stairs, heading to my room.

"Where have you been?" Sarah asked as soon as I opened my bedroom door.

"I was at Miley's." I started digging through my dresser, looking for my clothes.

"Why did you leave last night? Jackson was looking for you."

"I didn't want Jackson."

"What did he do? He said you ran away, and you were angry at him."

"It doesn't matter now." I found my bathing suit, my board shorts and wetsuit top.

"Where are you going now?"

"The beach."

"With Miley?"

"Yes."

"Won't you get caught?"

"Not our beach. She says she has her own spot."

"Are you sure?"

"Sarah," I said, suddenly short of patience and wanting nothing more than to get back to Miley, "I know what I'm doing. It's not like I can get pregnant or something." That stopped her in her tracks. She stared at me, dumbfounded. I left the room. She followed me.

"Does that mean you're sleeping with her?" She asked quietly.

I thought about it. "Technically I did sleep with her last night."

"Did you have sex with her?"

"No!" I felt my face heat up again. "Now mind your own business. Why aren't you hanging out with Matt or something?" I shut the bathroom door and started to change.

"Why would I do that?" She said through the door.

"Aren't you going out with him?" I asked as I tied the strings on my bikini top and bottom.

"No. He asked me though."

"And you said no?" I pulled up my shorts, tying them.

"Yes."

"Why?" I continued with the questions, glad the focus was off me.

"He's not…he's not my type."

I pulled on my wetsuit top, but didn't zip it up. I opened the door. "So what is your type?"

She looked bashful. "Well, they have to be sweet, funny, nice, athletic, and have good hair. They have to treat me well, too."

To me that sounded exactly like Matt, but I let it go. "So what's been up with Oliver?" I went to the hallway closet to grab a beach towel.

"What do you mean?"

"He's been acting really weird."

"Oh…You noticed that?"

"Hasn't everyone?"

"No."

"So what's up with him?"

"He wants me back."

I finally stopped moving around and faced her. "He wants you back? Didn't he dump you for someone else?"

"Well…no."

"What exactly happened between you too?"

"Um…don't you have to get to Miley?"

I jumped. I had been taking far too long to get ready. "Crap! Yea, I do. Thanks." I started rushing down the stairs. I stopped at the bottom and shouted back. "And by the way, we're not done with this conversation!"

I pulled out my phone, called Miley. "I'm ready."

"Ok."

Miley pulled up to the front of the house, and I grabbed my surfboard from the downstairs closet, then walked to her side door. "How is this going to fit?"

"The back seats folds down."

I opened the back door, flipped the seat down, then put the board in diagonally. It fit perfectly. I threw my towel in, then got in the car.

"Let's go!" She said enthusiastically.

"Yes! Let's!" She started driving.

I flipped through the radio stations until I found the one I was looking for: Radio Disney.

'_And here's a new one from Mitchell Musso! Let it go!'_

The song had an infectious beat, and I hopped around, singing the words I could guess. Then, the song ended and the DJ came back on.

'_Do you have a band? Can you sing? Well here's your chance to prove it. If you have a set of pipes and know all the words to at least one Disney song, old or new, and are younger then 18, here's your chance to make it big. Call me, here, at Radio Disney. Callers 20, 30, and 35 are going to have a chance to make it big. If you're one of those callers, than tonight, at 8 o'clock, you're going to compete live on the air to see who the best singer or band is. The winner and their band will make their own music video, which will premiere April 30 on Disney Channel! Are you ready? The number is…'_

I turned the radio down and called the number, which I already knew by heart. It rang and rang, and iheld my breath. Finally, someone answered.

"Congratulations! You're caller twenty! What's your name?" The woman on the line paused. "Hello? Hello?"

I let out all my breath, which I was still holding. "I'm caller twenty!?"

"Yes you are!" The woman had a motherly voice, as if she was older. "So, if you'll tell me your name, phone number, and age, we'll call you back tonight at 8 o'clock, Eastern Time. Ok?"

"Yes of course! My name is Lilly Truscott, I'm seventeen, and my cell phone number is 570-654-1599."

"Ok Lilly! Congratulations. We'll call you back tonight! Goodbye!" And she hung up. I shut the phone, shocked.

"Lilly? Did you win?"

"Yea." I said quietly, waiting for it to sink in.

"Lilly that's fantastic! Do you know what a start with Disney can do for you?"

"Ahhh!!!" I started to scream. "Oh my god Miley! I won! The band is going to be famous! I'm going to have to tell them all!"

"Well call them now! They're going to be singing with you tonight so that they can hear you all aren't they?"

"Yea they will!" I quickly called Jackson, not even thinking about what had happened last night.

"Hello?" He sounded surprised. "Lilly? Lilly I am so sorry about what happened last night. I wasn't myself and I apolo---"

"Jackson." I interrupted him. "Shut up."

"No Lilly. I don't know why I did that. I mean, Oliver said he thought you liked me, and we always get along so well, that I thought…"

"Jackson! Stop." What he said sunk in. "Wait. Oliver told you that?"

"Yea."

"Why that doughnut, I'm going to…It doesn't even matter. Anyways. So, Radio Disney is having this contest, where you have to call in and if you win tonight your band has to sing a Disney song over the phone and the one who wins gets to make a music video that's going to be premiered on Disney channel in April and…" I stopped to gasp, finally taking a breath. "And I won! So, tonight at eight, our band is going to sing a Disney song to win the video! We can be famous!"

"Holy shit!" He shouted into the phone, then started to whoop. "We're gonna be famous Lilly!"

"I know! But the band has to be there. So get everyone together, and pick a song ok? Text me what song we pick to make sure I know it ok?"

"Well what are you doing? Get here right now!"

"I can't. I'm a little…" I glanced at Miley, who slid her hand over to hold my free one across the seats. "Busy right now. I'll be back by seven ok?"

"Alright…hurry though! Bye Lilly!"

"Bye!" I hung up. "Miley I'm so excited!"

"I'm happy for you. You could become so famous just by getting one video on Disney you know?"

"This could be everything…" I squeezed her hand.

She turned off the highway on to a dusty back road. We drove through an alley between two large, deserted-looking buildings. She drove towards what looked like a thicket of trees. They grew into the buildings in the alley, then just stopped. Miley pulled all the way up to them and parked. "Let's go." She pulled her bag out, and I went around and got my board out of the back. Miley waited for me, then stepped into the thicket of trees. If it had been anyone except for her, I might have gotten nervous. It looked like it could be miles thick, but I trust Miley. We stepped through the trees, carefully avoiding roots and holes. After about five minutes Miley disappeared from in front of me, and I followed her steps, suddenly finding myself in the open sun when the trees ended. I looked behind me, and saw the trees curved in a huge half circle around us, ending at the ocean. Miley's secret place was about 300 yards wide where it opened at the ocean, it was about 200 feet from the trees to the water, and the sand was the whitest I had ever seen.

"How did you find this place?"

"I didn't. My dad told me about it. It's a closely guarded secret. No one comes to the beach for miles around, because of the crappy place we're in. You saw those buildings we drove between. The entire town is like this, and the beach around it is covered in trash and stuff that no one wants to clean. None of it's in the water, because no one has come to this beach in years."

I put my board on the ground and started towards the water. I grabbed Miley's hand, tugging her with me. When we were about waist deep I pulled her towards me, wrapping my arms around her waist and spinning her in the water. "This is amazing!"

"What can I say? Life's a beach." We laughed, and I pulled her close to me, kissing her.


	17. A Big Break

Well look at this. I've done gone and uploaded a new chapter! Personally, I hate this chapter. Maybe you guys will too. UGH! Read on!

---

I dove through the wave, holding Lilly's hand. We both giggled like giddy schoolgirls. It was hard not to act like a child when I was with her. My heart raced just knowing she was close, and I wanted to laugh every moment I was with her. She pulled me in towards her, kissing me as she spun me around. I could hear nothing but my heart beating in my ears. She pulled away and sound returned. A wave crashed against us.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lilly's discarded wetsuit on the beach. She had tried to teach me how to surf, but I learned nothing more than how to wipe out without hurting myself. But I hadn't learned how to wipe out without hurting anyone else. I still felt bad about the bruise blooming on Lilly's ribs from the time I had almost stood up, but fell, and my elbow caught her. It would surely be purple tomorrow. She had taken it well, demanding nothing more in atonement than a kiss, which I had gladly paid in full.

I jumped, wrapping my arms and legs around her. She staggered out of the water, sinking into the sand. She tottered, stumbling in the sand like a little child. I dropped my legs from around her, landing in the sand. She pulled me up, dragging me to our towels, where she dropped onto the ground.

I sat down next to her. We lay side by side on the towels, looking straight up at the sky. There were dark clouds rolling in, obscuring the bright sun and blue sky.

"It looks like rain." Lilly said.

"Really? I couldn't tell." I laughed, elbowing her.

"Alright, enough."

"No, not enough." I kissed her on the cheek.

"You're right. Not enough."

"Nope." I laughed. "Now it's enough." I rolled away from her, pulling my ipod from my bag. "Would you like to hear a song I wrote?"

"You have it on your ipod?"

"Well, when you have free time and your own recording studio, you can do anything. Would you like to hear it?"

"Of course."

I handed her one of the headphones, putting the other in my ear. I found the song I was looking for and pressed play. "It's called The Climb."

The words started to flow, and I listened to the number one played song on my ipod. Hearing it again reminded me of the days when everyone knew my name, cared who I was, and what I was doing.

_'I can almost see it  
That dream I'm dreamin  
But theres a voice inside my head sayin  
You'll never reach it_

_Every step I'm taking  
Every move I make feels  
lost with no direction  
My faith is shakin_

_But I, I gotta keep tryin  
Gotta keep my head held high_

_Theres always gonna be another mountain  
I'm always gonna wanna make it move  
Always gonna be an up-hill battle  
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose  
Ain't about how fast I get there.  
Ain't about what's waitin on the other side.  
It's the climb.'_

The song drew to an end, and Lilly spoke. "Miley, that's amazing. Maybe…" She paused. "Maybe you should think about getting back into Hannah Montana. People need to hear this song."

"I think about it. I do." I kept to myself how I yearned to call in, to go back to it. But I had left that forever, determined to have the best of one world.

"And?"

"And I've considered going back. But I don't want to quit teaching."

"Well, maybe you should---" At that moment, the sky opened up, pouring rain onto the two of us in thick torrents that almost hurt. I jumped up, putting my ipod and my towel in my bag with my shorts before they could get soaked. I was about to pull it on my shoulder when Lilly grabbed me, pulling me towards her. "I've always wanted to do this." She wrapped her arm around my waist, drawing me close. She hesitated for a moment, so I leaned forward, closing the distance between our lips. I wrapped an arm around her neck, tangling the other in her soaked hair. She slowly put her tongue in my mouth, beginning a gentler kiss than we'd shared since our first. The water poured down our faces and between us, sticking us together, holding us as one. I moved my hand from Lilly's neck to her face, pulling it as close to mine as it could be. She pushed my wet hair back from my face, then slid her hand down, wrapping her free arm around my back. Suddenly an urge ripped through me, more powerful than anything I'd ever felt, almost a need. I wanted to pull Lilly onto the towel that was still on the ground, to undo her bikini top. The whole scene played through my mind, pulling off her shorts, untying her bikini bottoms, running my hand slowly down her body…I pulled away from her, gasping. She looked dazed. "I always wanted to kiss someone in the rain. I am soo glad it was you."

"Lilly," I managed, "You have no idea what you do to me."

"Oh, I think I do." We were practically shouting, the rain was so loud.

"We have to go now." I picked up my bag, smiling as I felt the reassuring pressure of Lilly's hand around mine. We headed towards the woods, beginning our five minute trek back to the car. Lilly tucked her surfboard under her arm. The trees protected us from the rain, offering an almost degree of quiet, the only sound was the echoing of the rain on leaves far above our heads. I said nothing, but my heart squeezed with emotion. My throat choked up, and I suddenly understood the books I'd read as a girl. Books such as Twilight; the great love stories that every young girl wished to be the heroine in. My life had become a fairy tale. Lilly and I dashed through the rain, quickly getting into my car. I took a moment to compose myself before turning the car on. The clock on the dashboard read 5 o'clock. Plenty of time to get to Lilly's.

Lilly pulled out her phone. "Oh look, the boys have picked a song."

"What'd they pick?" I was genuinely curious, and eager to have something to talk about that would work the lump from my throat. These crazy emotions; it must almost be that time of the month.

"We're going to be singing If I Didn't Have You. You know, that song Emily Osment and Mitchell Musso sing?"

"Yea, I've heard it a couple of times."

"Well Oliver and I are going to sing it mostly, and the other boys are just going to do background. This could be it Miley. Our big break."

"I know. I'm excited for you." And I was, I swear. But what would it mean for us if she got famous? It was an errant thought, and I quickly pushed it away. Now was no time to think about myself.

I drove quickly to Lilly's house, probably speeding half the time. My mind was still at the beach, the rest of me longing to still be there also. When we arrived at Lilly's house I dropped her off, kissing her goodbye, laughing as she tickled me to get me to smile. "There's my Miley." She got out, getting her surfboard. "Will you be there later? When we sing?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She shut the door, and I drove away.

* * *

A few hours later I found myself pulling up to Jackson's house. Jake's mom's car was already there, and I saw Oliver pulling up as I opened the front door. Miley and Robbie Ray were in the kitchen looking over some papers when I walked in. They both looked up, and the smile Miley gave me almost brought me to my knees. "Well hello Lilly," Robbie Ray said in his thick southern drawl. "Don't you look pretty today?" Miley simply nodded in agreement behind his back.

"Um…thanks." I never was the best at accepting compliments. "Is Jackson downstairs?"

"Straight to business! That's what I like to see!" He laughed. "Jake, Jackson and Matt are downstairs."

"Thanks Mr. Stewart!" I spared Miley a smile, then hurried down to meet them. When I got down the stairs and into the control room the boys were rockin' out. Jake was drumming away while Matt and Jackson tried to make a song that fit the drums with the keyboard and bass. When I opened the door they all stopped. "That sounded really good guys."

"Oh, well," Matt brushed the hair from his eyes. "We were just goofing around while we waited for you and Oliver." He looked behind me. "And, speak of the devil, there he is!" Oliver came into the studio.

"How's it going guys? We ready to hit it big?" The other boys cheered, laughing and jumping in excitement. Jake knocked over a cymbal from the drums. Boys.

"How long do we have?"

I checked my watch. "About an hour."

"Ok, let's get to business." Jackson reeled us in, commanding everyone's attention. It was time to practice before we had to sing.

We all gathered around the phone, staring at it as though we expected it to do tricks. Miley and Robbie Ray came down the stairs and into the recording studio. We all looked up at them as they came in, so when the phone rang we all jumped and turned our attention back to it.

"Answer it!" Miley said urgently. I could hear my nerves in her voice. I picked up the phone.

"Hello? Is this Lilly Truscott and her band?" A woman asked.

"Yes." Someone answered, but I wasn't sure who.

"Good! Let me put you through."

We all waited in silence, until we could hear the radio DJ talking. "Finally, our last group has gotten through. Let's start this contest! The first group we'd like to hear from is our first caller. Lilly? Are you there?"

"Yes." This time I answered.

"Ok. Is your phone on speaker?"

"Yes." Jackson cut in.

"Nice. So what song will you be singing today?"

"If I didn't have you by Mitchel Musso and Emily Osment." Matt answered.

"Okay then, let's hear it."

We all looked at each other, then Oliver took a deep breath and began with his part.

_If I were a rich man  
With a million or two  
I'd live in a penthouse  
In a room, with a view_

_And if I were handsome  
Well, It could happen  
Those dreams do come true_

_I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you  
I Wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you  
Wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have  
Wouldn't have nothing  
_

Then it was my turn.

_For years I have envied  
Your grace and your charm  
Everyone loves you, you know?_

Oliver cut in,

_Yes I know I know I know_

Then it was me again.  
_But I must admit it_  
_Come on, admit it.  
_  
_Big guy you always come through_  
_  
Yes I do, I do, I do_

_I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you (yea)  
You and me together  
That's how it should always be  
One without the other  
Don't mean nothing to me, nothing to me._

Oliver answered,  
_Ya I wouldn't be nothin  
If I didn't have you to serve  
Just a punky little eyeball  
And a funky optic nerve (word)_

Then it was me again.  
_Hey I never told you this, but uh  
Sometimes I get a little blue  
But I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you,_

Matt and Jackson sung  
_I wouldn't have noting nothin  
If I didn't have you  
I wouldn't know where to go, no no no_

And together we all did the end.  
_Or know, what to do  
I don't have to say it  
Cause we all know it's true  
I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you  
I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you  
I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have  
Wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you_

We finished up.

"Woo!" The DJ shouted. "That was good! Alright, caller number two! Jack! What are you guys singing today?"

"We're going to sing 'On the Line' by Demi Lovato."

"Ok, go ahead."

The girl in their group started singing, but she was so terrible I plugged my ears and waited for it to be over while I watched the grimaces everyone else made. It was so incredibly bad. Miley smiled that smile at me while everyone else was looking at the phone, making my stomach do backflips. Jackson smacked me on the shoulder to signify they were done.

"Weehhull…That was interesting. Zack? You ready to go?"

"Yes we are." Someone in the back was laughing.

"What are you singing today?"

"Hey Baby, by the Jonas Brothers."

"Ok, go ahead."

The minute they started I knew we were done. They were so good, they sounded exactly like the real Jonas Brothers, just without music. One of them even had Nick's voice perfected exactly. They finished up, and no one in the room could bear to look at each other.

"Wow." The DJ said. "That was amazing! I think we have our winners! Zack, you guys have won. Lilly, Jack, sorry guys, maybe next time. Bye!" And just like that, he hung up, and we were off the air.

"I'm sorry guys. How bout I make some of my sticky buns?" Robbie Ray bolted.

The rest of us stood there, shell shocked. Matt moved first. "Well…let's go play Rock Band I guess."

"Yea." Oliver added. Jake and Jackson followed, dragging their feet up the stairs. When they were all the way up the stairs Miley spoke.

"Damn it." She came closer to me, but she didn't reach for me, and I didn't reach for her. Whether sensing my imminent explosion, or worried about being seen, I didn't know, but I was unwilling to branch the gap. "I'm really sorry. Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine." My voice was clipped, as I worked to contain my emotion. Miley almost reached for me, but she dropped her hands quickly.

"I can't believe that happened. You guys deserved this more than anyone. You wanted it more too."

I couldn't take her pity. "I'm gonna go home. Bye."

"Bye." She hugged me quickly, so quickly I didn't have time to respond before she had let go. I started up the stairs.

"Call you later." I mumbled right before she disappeared from my view. I needed some time alone, so I left and drove home in silence.

---

Alright guys, let me know what you thought, and read my newest story, Let's Get Crazy! Reviews are always welcome!


	18. A Shoot Out?

So...I'm not sure if i'm cranking out a bunch of really crappy chapters, or if i've been hit by the writing fairy. It's up to you guys!

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I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep, and I couldn't get up. The disappointment wracked my frame, leaving me immobile. The arm I had tucked behind my head was numb from being pinned there, and the arm across my stomach could vaguely feel my heartbeat, reminding me it wasn't the end of the world; I was still alive. I thought about the text Miley had sent me earlier.

_'Lil, if you need me, or if you want to talk, you know where to find me.'_

She hadn't texted or called me at all after that. I guess she had assumed I wanted my space. Yet, I recognized that I'd made my biggest mistake of the night by not calling her, or going to see her. I was struck by a sense of loneliness. I just wanted to be with my girlfriend. But, by now it was almost midnight, and I didn't know where Sarah was. She and my mom hadn't come home tonight. I moved my hand over my stomach, feeling the muscles that were there, remembering how Miley liked to touch them. I slowly rolled over, burying my face into my pillow. Thinking of Miley wasn't going to bring any closer the time in which I would get to see her. I shut my eyes tight, willing the morning to come.

The next day in school I operated as one possessed. My eyes were glazed over, my mind was elsewhere, and slowly, oh so slowly, the time passed. And when fourth period came, I finally smiled. Carrying my guitar case over my shoulder I walked into the classroom. Disappointed as I may be, I hadn't forgotten that today we were singing Bleed It Out for the class. I had just made it to my seat when the bell rang. The rest of the class filed in slowly. At last, Miley came in, followed by a man I'd never seen before. She acted as if he wasn't there, going through the normal routine. She took role, than began class.

"Well class, today we're going to have our first graded assignment. I want each band to go up, introduce themselves, tell us their song, and play it. You're going to be graded on how well your song sounds, if it was well put together, and how it compares to the actual song. By this I mean that you got the words correct and technical things like that. You won't necessarily be graded on how well your singer sounds ok? So who would like to go first?"

Naturally, Amber and Ashley raised their hands. "Why save the best for last?" Amber questioned conceitedly.

"Ok Ashley, you can go." Miley sighed.

Ashley and her band moved to the side of the room, where there was a raised platform and several sets of instruments. They pulled up what they needed, and prepared to play. Ashley spoke first. "Hey, we're 'The Best' and we're singing 'In The End.'" I scoffed. The Best? I wanted to punch her in her face. How conceited can a person be? I fumed on the inside, but I felt much better when they began to sing. Amber and Ashley were good singers, but the style of Linkin Park and their voices didn't mesh together well at all. It could have been much worse, but I was sure she didn't sound as good as we did. Or as I thought we did. They finally finished.

"Ok." Miley clapped her hands together, looking up from some paper, a grading sheet maybe. "Who's next?" She looked around and no one raised their hands. She glanced at me, and my hand shot up. She looked bemused. "Ok, Lilly, you guys can go."

We all gathered our things and stepped up onto the raised platform. I looked around seeing if anyone wanted to take the lead, but none of them spoke, so I introduced us. "Well, we're 'A Beautiful Disaster' and we're singing Bleed It Out." I backed away, and we all waited. After pausing for a beat Oliver started with the rap. It all meshed together really well. I noticed the man was sitting in the corner, and he seemed to be filming us on his phone, which I thought was odd. But we finished out our song smoothly.

We had all just returned to our seats when an announcement was made. "Will Ms. Stewart please report to the office?" We all looked at her. The voice that had come through the loudspeaker was definitely not that of our principal or secretary, yet somehow I had heard it before. I couldn't place it exactly, but I knew it. Then, I realized Miley had turned pale, a chalky kind of color, and looked paralyzed in fear. Jackson rushed to her.

"Miley." For some reason he sounded terrified. Then there was a loud noise. If I hadn't once heard a gun go off, I might not have placed it right away. But TV was all about gun shots these days, and there was no mistaking that tell tale BANG. Ashley screamed, and there was a mad rush for the door. Miley recovered quickly. "NO!" She screamed. "Don't rush into the hall!" More gunshots went off. "Be calm." I got out of my seat.

"Miley?" The rest of the class was waiting for direction, but she turned her blue-eyed gaze on me. I lowered my voice. "It's him isn't it?"

She nodded. "Ok everyone. Here's how we're going to do this." There was a sudden, loud barrage of gunshots going off one after the other, as if Chet had an automatic weapon. And there was no doubt in Miley's mind that it was Chet. "We're going to get you all out of here safe."

There was another announcement. "Miley Stewart! Get to the office please!" The anger in his voice was unmistakable.

Then I had an idea. "Miley, if he's making announcements he's still in the office right?" She nodded to me. "Ok then, so let's pull the fire alarm! If he's in the office by the door, there's no way he can stop anyone. No one's fire escape plan leads them to the front door!"

"Ok. Do it." She turned to the students. "Anyone with their cell phone on them?" Half of the class raised their hands. "Someone call 911. I'm going to pull the fire alarm." She hurried into the hall, and, after a moment of silence, the fire alarm went off. She came back with some ink on her hands from the fire alarm. "Ok guys, you have to go down the back stairwell and out the side door ok?" Everyone in the class nodded. "Tell anyone you met to get as far from the school as possible. Go!" The class filed out, pushing and shoving to get out as fast as possible.

"What do you mean anyone _we_ meet? You have to come with us."

"Lilly, this is my fault. I can't leave all these people."

"Miley, this is my fault. I can't leave _you_."

"Lilly, please. Give me five minutes. I'm a teacher; students are my responsibility. I need to check to make sure everyone's out, and the cops are on their way. What's the worst that could happen?"

_You could die_. I thought it, but didn't say it. "I'll go. But you had better come back to me."

"Lilly, remember when you said you had a piece of me?"

"Yes."

"I will _always_ come back for it."

I turned and walked with her to the door. I headed the way the rest of the class had gone, and she went the other. Even as I watched, she opened and looked inside doors. I hurried down the stairs, turning towards the door. Already the hallways were completely empty, and would have been silent if it wasn't for the harsh ringing of the fire alarms. I jogged out the door to where my class was standing, about 100 yards from the building. It appeared as if half the school was over here, but I couldn't be sure. Jackson ran up. "Where's Miley?" His panicked voice brought to the surface the terror that had been building in my chest. My knees buckled and I fell. Or almost did. Jackson caught me and help me up as tears worked their way to the surface. "She's inside still?" I nodded, taking calming breaths. "It's Chet, it's Chet, it's Chet." He chanted, causing a mantra that must have been comforting to him, or that he didn't notice he was doing.

"Jackson, keep it together."

Oliver flew up from out of nowhere, roughly grabbing me and spinning me to face him. His hands clamped down painfully around my shoulders. "Lilly." He said, pain emanating from every letter. "Where's Sarah? I can't find her. I think she's still inside."

Pain ripped through my core. My girlfriend was playing the heroine, and my best friend was missing. There was an overwhelming sense of loss enveloping me, as if I had already lost them both. "I'm going inside."

"What?" Matt and Jackson exclaimed in unison.

"They're inside. I have to go get them. Miley and Sarah." I saw the looks on their faces; they clearly thought I was losing it. "I'll be back."

"Lilly…" Jackson had grabbed my shoulder. He was clearly torn. He wanted someone to find his sister, but he didn't want to endanger anyone else.

"No. I have to." There was no way I could explain to him my sense of guilt without blowing everything. I heard the sirens coming, and knew I had to hurry inside before they came to take us from the school. I took off at a run, covering the distance between the school and myself quickly. As soon as I was inside I could hear Chet. He must have something on the intercom button, so he could speak through it continuously.

"Miley, Miley. Where are you?" He said in a sickly playful voice, making my skin crawl. This is a man who could cause anyone pain and not care. "Oh Miley, I have an entire classroom full of students, and I'm willing to kill them, one by one, until you get here. And, in case you're doubting me…" There was a loud bang as he fired a shot, and all the people in the room screamed. Someone began to cry, huge gut wrenching sobs.

In the background there was a voice. "Please…" The person sobbed. "Please…Don't do this."

"Shut the FUCK UP!" He shot again, and the person stopped crying. The quiet that followed the shot was final, as if the person who was crying had been silenced. Permanently. "So Miley. You have five minutes to get here. And, in case you refuse to hurry up, every ten seconds one of these kids are going to lose something. Like a finger, or a hand, or foot. Or life. And don't worry, I'll leave the intercom on." He began the counting. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…"

There was a loud noise, but it didn't sound like a gun going off. "Stop this!" My heart froze. _No, Miley, no._ "Let these people go. This is between you and me, and this has already gone too far."

"No, I don't think it's gone far enough." There was another bang, and Miley screamed.

My feet had been glued to the ground, but at that terrifying noise, I ran full tilt straight to the office. It wasn't long before it was within my sight, but I stopped. If I was going to bust into there, I needed some kind of weapon. I walked into the nearest classroom, looking for something I could use as a weapon. There was nothing jumping out at me, until I found a yard stick. It was kind of flimsy, but it would have to do. I picked it up, brandishing it almost like a sword.

I could still hear Chet muttering over the intercom. "You thought you could leave me…Destroy everything we ever had…" Then the words became indistinguishable. He obviously wasn't speaking towards the intercom anymore.

I snuck slowly to the office. The door was open and Chet's back was to it. His hair was longer, shaggy even. Through his t-shirt I could see his rippling muscles, and I knew I would have one shot to do this right. Miley was on her knees, looking up at Chet. There was blood on her face, though I couldn't tell if it was hers. I snuck closer and closer, until I was feet from the door.

"You were mine!" He bellowed. "MINE! You-were-mine." He punctuated each word with a kick to Miley. She sat back up. "MINE MINE MINE!" He screamed like a child, and then, on the last mine, swung a pistol down on Miley, so that the butt of it slammed into her chin. She was knocked to the ground. An uncontrollable rage coursed through my veins.

"YOU BASTARD!" I shouted, disregarding my own safety and blowing my cover. I charged him, swinging the meter stick like a bat. I caught him in the side of his face, as he was halfway turning to see who had shouted. He fell to the ground, rolling quickly on his side and pointing the gun at me. I lifted the meter stick, bringing it down again. He fired a shot at me. I felt the meter stick shatter in my hands as the bullet hit it. I reached instinctively for the nearest thing. My hands wrapped around the intercom box, and I jerked the cord from the wall, slamming it down on his head. His body went limp. I didn't know if he was dead, and didn't care.

I walked around him, reaching tenderly for Miley. She started to get up, then collapsed again. I touched her face. She flinched. "Oh, Miles. You shouldn't have come back in." I helped her stand up, leading her to the desk. She sat in a chair. I could hear feet coming in, as if a whole class of people were coming down the hall. I turned around, looking for the face I couldn't find. There was Sarah, on the floor, covered in blood.

"Freeze!" Shouted a man, but I ignored him.

I moved closer to Sarah. "Sarah? Sarah?" I almost burst into tears. I gently slapped her face shaking her.

She stirred, and sat up. "Lilly?"

"Sarah oh my god, are you ok?"

"Yea, yea." She looked around. "Oh my god. Am I hurt?"

"It doesn't look like it." I looked around. "But…um…" I looked next to her, to where the pool of blood started. There was a body next to her, but I was afraid to turn the person over to see who they were. I turned around, to look at Miley where she was talking to the cops. Everyone I needed was safe, and now, I wanted nothing more than to hold Miley, to comfort her, to let her know it was all right. One of the cops was guiding her out; she was unsteady on her feet. "Sarah, I'll be right back ok?"

"Ok." She mumbled it, and I caught the hurt in her eyes before she managed to cover it up. But I needed to be with Miley. I hurried out the door to where the cop was helping her down the hall.

"I can do that." I said to him. "I mean, help her out. I'm sure you have lots to do here."

He looked at me. "Thanks kid." I walked to Miley's side, looping her arm around my shoulder. The cop gently let go of her, and she leaned on me. I heard his footsteps disappear down the hallway.

"Are you ok?"

She didn't answer, but kissed me on the cheek. "Thanks."

"There is nothing to thank me for. I love you, and there is no way I would ever let something bad happen to you if I could do something about it."

"I love you Lilly."

"I love you too."

The front door opened, and the rest of the cops swarmed in, along with paramedics with gurneys. One of them stopped by Miley and I, and, ignoring her protests, loaded her up on a gurney to take her to the hospital. Another man helped them get her out the front door, and more paramedics came in, carrying body bags. I turned my eyes away from them, unwilling to think about friends that I'd lost today, neighbors I'd never see again. I felt how a soldier must feel if members of his battalion are killed, and he'd been spared. I looked up the hallway, and saw two people lying on the floor, obviously dead. Their eyes were still open. I realized with a jolt that I knew one of the boys on the floor. It was Cooper, one of Jackson's friends.

I covered my mouth, containing a sob. I walked slowly back to Sarah, suddenly feeling very old, and very tired. She was standing in the doorway, looking very lost. I wrapped my arms around her, and she broke down. The tears poured down her face, and I was torn. I wanted to be with Miley in the hospital, but Sarah was my best friend. I needed to be with her. I looked behind her, and saw they were loading the body of our principal into a bag.

"Let's go home Sarah." She looked dazed and didn't follow me, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me. We made it out the front door before anyone attempted to stop us. There were reporters crowding the doorway, making it almost impossible for us to get through. I shoved them out of my way, pushing them and pulling Sarah. Questions were thrown at me from every side.

"Who was the man? What do you know? Are you the one who saved all those people? Who's died? Can you tell us? The man the cops arrested, is he the only one? Did he have an accomplice within the school?" They didn't stop until Sarah and I were in my car. I had just started it when there was a knock on the window.

"What!?" I shouted, wanting nothing more than to go home and shower, and sleep. There was a man standing there looking at me. He flashed a badge. I rolled down my window.

"Hi. I'm Officer Matthew Williams, and I need to question you on today's events."

"Officer, do we have to do this now?" Hard as I tried to contain it, I could hear the whine in my voice. "I just, I just need to go home. I need to see my mom, I need to take care of my friend." As I said it, I saw his eyes flick over to Sarah.

"I understand. Here's my card. I need you to call me tomorrow, ok?"

"Will do officer."

He backed away, and flashing his badge, cleared the area around my car of the press. I drove away as fast as I could. We got to my house, and I pulled Sarah out of the car. She wouldn't walk anymore, so I picked her up, carrying her up the stairs. "Sarah, you need to take a shower. Sarah?" She didn't respond, so I pulled her to the bathroom. I grabbed a wash cloth to wipe the blood off her face. I helped her clean up, but she didn't seem to want to talk much. Or at all. I led her to my room. She sat on my bed. "Lilly?"

"Yeah, Sarah?"

"Thanks. For everything."

"It's nothing."

She laid down, closing her eyes. I waited until she was obviously asleep, then went downstairs. I needed to spend time with my mom before I went to see Miley.

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So. What did you think? That what you Expected? It's definitely not what i did. = ) Reviews are always welcome!


	19. The Aftermath

so...I wrote this new chapter. I hate it, and I really want to write more for Let's Get Crazy. Lemme tell you though, there are about five chapters left I think. Read and Review Thanks.

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I walked to the room slowly, wondering if I should have bought something, flowers, a card, balloons, anything. I felt as if I was making my way to someone's death bed, like a criminal condemned. A million thoughts ran through my head. _Should I be here? Will it be obvious why I am?_ I silenced the storm in my mind and made my way to the room. Visiting hours weren't yet over, so when I'd asked for the room number, the attending nurse was more than happy to give it to me. I walked up to the door which was open. I could hear Robbie Ray talking, maybe on the phone.

"No, I can't work tomorrow, or this week. I might not come in ever again! My daughter almost died this morning!" He paused. "If you want to fire me, do it." I walked in, and he looked up, covering his phone. "Oh Lilly, thank goodness. Can you stay here with Miley? I don't want to leave her alone, and Jackson went to get something to eat. He should be right back."

"Yea, no problem Mr. Stewart. I'll wait with her. She's like my sister."

"Thank you so much Lilly. I'll try to hurry back." He left quickly.

I looked at Miley's sleeping form. I hadn't counted on her being asleep. I looked out the window at the view of the beach. "My God I hope you don't think of me as a sister."

I jumped and looked at the bed. Miley was looking at me wide-eyed and awake. "I thought you were asleep!"

"Yea, so did my father. He's been here trying to get me to quit teaching and move away from here."

I put my hand on the railing of her bed, leaning in closer to her. "You can't leave me Miley. If you leave I'll…" I choked up and couldn't speak for a moment. "If you leave me, I'll fall apart. I need you Miles."

She moved her hand up a bit, putting it on top of mine. "Lilly. My Dad is worried. But he's not going to make me move. I'm not giving you up. I love you."

"What?" A voice said from the door, followed by a clatter. I tore my eyes from Miley's face, looking up, and I saw Jackson at the door. We'd been so caught up in each other that we hadn't heard him walk up. He'd dropped the food he had been holding.

"Jackson I…" I stopped and looked at Miley. She was deathly pale, and her heart monitor sped up.

"What is this?" He asked.

"Jackson…"

"Get out."

"No." I stood, planting my feet. "I won't."

He stepped across the space between us, grabbing me by my arms and slamming me into the wall. "Leave. Now." I twisted out of his grip, pushing him against the wall, pinning him there. He looked ready to sock me, and I felt him tense up.

"Jackson." Miley spoke at last. Her voice was faint, but it was obvious that he heard her. He went limp, and look at her. "Jackson, I love her. She came back to save me. Whatever you're thinking about this, it's wrong."

"Miley, she's gonna get you fired. You could get arrested. The two of you can't do this."

"Without her, I'd be dead."

"No you…"

"Yes Jackson, I would. She saved my life today."

He looked defeated. "I-I know." For a moment, he looked at the ground and it seemed like his spirit had been broken. Then he fixed a fierce gave on Miley. "You love her?"

"Yes."

He gave me the same hard look. "And do you love her?"

"With all my heart." I answered surely.

"Fine then. But if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"Oh Jackson." I hugged him, then whispered in his ear. "I'll never hurt her, I promise you." I let go of him, and turned to Miley smiling. None of us said a word, but I let Jackson take the seat right next to Miley and I sat down next to him. We sat there for what felt like, and what may have been, hours when Robbie Ray walked in.

"Jackson," he said solemnly, and it was immediately apparent something wasn't right. "I just got a call from Cooper's parents and…" He couldn't finish the sentence, but I knew what was coming. I'd already seen it.

"Jackson, Cooper's…" I stopped, finally hit by the pain of friends I'd lost today. We'd grown up with Cooper. The numbness I'd felt since exiting the school was broken down by a flood of pain. "He's dead." Jackson was unable to speak, but his hands gripped the arm rests on his chair until his knuckles turned white. I reached over and put my hand on his, and he relaxed his grip, disintegrating into tears and covering his face with his other hand. Miley sat up, putting an arm around his shoulder.

Robbie Ray looked down at the ground, as if there was more. "Robbie Ray?" He looked up and met me with tear filled eyes. "Who else?"

"Rico." I felt a stab of pain. Rico, the fifteen year old boy who managed to skip enough grades to be a Junior. He'd always been a manipulative little snot, but we'd known him long enough to see the heart he'd buried deep, deep down.

"He's, he's dead?" My throat closed up, and I felt as if I was suffocating.

"No. but…" He cleared his throat. "He's here. In the ICU. I ran into his parents in the hallway. He's on his way into surgery now, but they don't expect him to make it out…"

"Who else?" I asked, steeling myself.

"There are too many. I don't remember." He collapsed into the chair on the other side of the bed, looking like an old man. "There's a group of parents in the lobby, trying to claim their children's…" He coughed, but it might have been to cover up a sob. "Bodies. To collect their bodies. There's a guard here, trying to stop the parents from finding out where Chet is."

"He's here?" Miley and I asked in unison.

"Yes." He looked at me. "It seems as if the intercom box you dropped on his head was heavy enough to break his nose, and pushed enough of the cartilage into his brain that he can't remember anything, but not enough to kill him. They've put him in a coma, hoping it will repair the connection between his short term and long term memory. If not, he can't go to jail, because he doesn't know he did any of this."

I ran my hands through my hair. The man that tried to kill my girlfriend wouldn't go to jail, and all because I had been too rough on him. I couldn't handle it. I had to get out of the room. "I'll be back." I kept my hand over my face to hide my tears. I stumbled through the hall way, unsure of where to go. I took the elevator down to the lobby, intent on gathering my emotions in the downstairs waiting room. But I forgot that all the parents were down there, until the doors opened to a mob. I tried to press the close door button before they could see me, but it was too late.

"There she is!" Someone yelled, and I had no choice but to step out of the elevator. The minute I did I was swamped. The first person to get to me was a strong Latino woman, determined to crush me in her hug.

"Lilly," she spoke in a thick voice with a Mexican accent. "Thank you so much for what you did. You saved a lot of parents from feeling the pain we feel."

"Rico…" I kept my head buried in her shoulder, letting the tears fall somewhere.

"Lilly it's ok. They took him into surgery a minute ago and said it wasn't as bad as they thought. He was bleeding a lot, but once they find the bullet and pull it out, he will be fine. It will all be fine." She held onto me, and I felt her tears pouring onto my shoulder too. I kept my arms around her, glad to finally be able to let it all go. I didn't want Miley to see me cry. A hand rubbed my back. I looked up to see who it was.

"It's ok hija, it's ok." I recognized that Rico's father was referring to me as his daughter, but I didn't comment. It seemed I was part of the family now.

"Lilly." Another voice caught my attention, and I let go of Rico's mom, turning to face whoever it was. I was met by a stout black woman with a determined look on her face. She kept her jaw clenched, and spoke through her teeth. "My boy Cooper…" She stopped, and started again. "My boy Cooper, he was a good boy. And this shouldn't have happened to him. He was smart, and he was going to UCLA.

"I'm so…"

"No. Let me finish. He was smart, and he was good at his sports. He was the best son a mother could ask for and I, I just, I don't know why this happened to him. But I appreciate what you did. I wish you had been able to help my son, but you saved other people's sons and daughters. Thank you." And without another word, or even a tear, she walked away.

Some of the other parents weren't as receiving of me as others. One woman slapped me and ran away in tears, as if my death would have saved her child. Her husband glared at me. A boy, maybe 20, 21 stalked up to me, and looked like he was going to punch me in the face. He didn't, but his five year old sister told me that their sister had gone to heaven today, and that he was just sad. I was surrounded by the mixture of emotions that come with a tragedy, and I was suffering from an emotional overload. I made my way back to Miley's room as fast as I could. They were in the middle of a dilemma. "Should we call in a nurse?" Jackson asked.

"For what?" I said, interrupting the conversation.

"The doctor said I can leave." Miley answered my question. "But they don't seem to think I can get dressed on my own." Her face seemed to light up, as if she had an idea. "You're a girl Lilly, could you help me? I want to get out of here."

"Um, yeah, sure."

Jackson looked like he was going to say something, but Robbie Ray looked relieved. "Come on Jackson, we'll wait outside. Call us if you need us." They left and shut the door behind them.

"Alright, how we gonna do this?" I asked her, half smiling.

"Don't worry, I don't actually need help. I just wanted them to go away for a while. So, if you'll just hand me my clothes…" She swung her legs over the side of the bed.

There was a pile of clothes on a chair, and I set them on the bed for her. She grabbed her underwear off the top of the pile, pulling them on under her gown. She tried standing up to put her pants on, put she was weak on her feet. "Ok…maybe I do need a little help…" She held onto my shoulders while I helped her pull her pants up.

"Do I have to button them too?" I asked.

"You have such a dirty mind. But you do have to untie this thing for me. I can't get my arms there."

I reached around her, pulling at the ties that held up her gown. I was semi disappointed and semi relieved when I saw that she already had a bra on. Then I saw her stomach. "Oh my God!"

She looked down. "Oh…yea. Turns out he had on steel toed boots." I touched her stomach, her perfect stomach, tracing gently over the deep purple bruises that had already formed on her stomach. They were raised soft bumps, and everytime my hand got near one, Miley's breath came in short rasping gasps that physically hurt me.

"Miley…I'm so sorry about all of this. If he hadn't seen me that one day, it never would have happened."

"This was never, and will never be, your fault Lilly. I'm the one who dated the crazy fool. I just didn't know he was that crazy." She put her arms around my shoulders and kissed me softly. I put my arms around her, gently enveloping her in a hug. It just felt so right here, especially because after everything that had happened today, Jackson knew, and he was ok with it. Ok with us.

I grabbed Miley's shirt, and she lifted her arms, gasping in pain. I pulled it down as fast as I could without hurting her. She wrapped her arms around my neck again. I kissed her all along her cheek. But I saw the bruise on the other side from where she'd been hit with the gun. Tears welled up in my eyes. "No, Lilly. It's ok." She kissed me on the lips, and wiped my eyes with her hands. "Don't do that."

"Yea. We'll talk later though."

"Yea. Alright guys, you can come back in." The opened the door just as I was helping her sit back on the bed.

"Thanks so much Lilly."

"It's alright Mr. Stewart. I'd do anything for you guys." Jackson looked at me again, as if he was gonna laugh. Boy was he bad at secrets.

Jackson supported Miley on the way out, helping her to the wheelchair the doctor had brought with him. He gave her some pain meds and told her to take care of herself. We all walked out. We said goodnight at the door, because I couldn't say any other kind of goodbye with Mr. Stewart there. I watched them go into the parking lot feeling a little abandoned. But it couldn't be helped. I turned and walked to my car alone, slowly driving home. When I got there it turned out Sarah had woken back up.

"Hey girl." I said to her, when I walked in and saw her sitting on the couch. I plopped down next to her. She laid on the couch with her head in my lap, looking up at me.

"Hi." She grabbed my hand, holding it in hers.

"So where's my mom?"

"She made her way up the stairs around eleven. I think she was still trashed."

"Ugh. Again? She has no idea what happened today does she?"

"Probably not. I mean, I didn't tell her…"

She turned her gaze onto the TV, obviously not seeing what was on. I ran my hand through her hair. "Are you ok?"

"No. I'm in trouble."

"What do you mean?"

"Today I could have died. While I was sitting there in that room, before I passed out, all I could think of was what about Lilly? I'll never see my best friend again. I could have died today."

"But you didn't Sarah. Remember that."

"Yea…" Her eyes became unfocused, and I kept stroking her hair.

"It'll be ok. Don't worry about anything now." I yawned. "Are you tired at all? I mean you slept for most of the day, but I need to sleep." I was completely physically and emotionally drained.

"Yea. I've been up for a few hours actually. I could sleep." I shut off the TV and we both went up the stairs. "School's closed for the rest of the week."

"School?" I was thinking. It seemed strange to consider even going back to the school where my friends were murdered. "I just…I didn't think about it at all."

"I know…On Friday there's going to be a memorial service."

"Have they talked about the people who have died? Do we know who yet?" I walked up the stairs slowly with my eyes shut, keeping back my tears.

"They wouldn't say on the TV who, but there were ten dead, and a bunch more in the hospital." She opened the door to my room, and I opened my eyes, following her in. I dropped down onto my bed, kicking my shoes off the end. I wasn't going to bother with changing, I just needed to collapse. I pulled out my cell phone, and Sarah wriggled into my arms, cuddling close to me. She buried her face in my shirt, and I could feel her shake with her tears. I had only expected as much so I said nothing and rubbed her back. She must have been scared out of her mind today. I couldn't remember being scared at any point, only knowing that what was mine was mine, and I had to do anything to protect it. But she had been stuck in a situation where she couldn't do anything or get out of it. Eventually her tears stopped, and I was able to fall into a tumultuous, restless sleep full of nightmares.

I woke up the next morning in the exact same position I'd fallen asleep. Sarah was sleeping, gripping fistfuls of my t-shirt. She looked like a little child. I moved gently away from her, pulling my shirt out of her hands. I creeped out of the room, shutting the door slowly. I looked down at my phone, which said it was one in the afternoon. I pulled the card out of my pocket for the cop. I had no choice but to call him now. Might as well relive yesterday today, rather than tomorrow or the next day. But that might have been a futile hope, seeing as last night's nightmare was yesterday all over again. I walked into the living room, and was met by a news report on yesterday's shooting.

"The California Killer. Otherwise known as Chet Zaino." The reporter was standing in front of the school, doing his newscast. "It was a regular day in school here at the local high school. Students were taking tests, texting in class, and wasting time in the bathroom. Then, at approximately eleven-thirty, Mr. Zaino allegedly entered the school carrying a shotgun, an AK47 and a silenced pistol. He allegedly fired off several shots in the entrance hall and into a classroom with the silencer on his weapon, and led a class of hostages into the office where he mercilessly murdered the principal, vice principal, a teacher and several students. Countless others were injured in his rampage. As of yet we don't know more than this hostage situation lasted about forty minutes. It's not clear yet what his motives were, but we know for sure there was an as of yet unidentified heroine. The best shot we have of her is this." He paused, and a picture flashed up on the screen of me escorting Sarah away from the school. It was a clear picture, and it was obvious it was me. "Our only other information is that while acting in self-defense, she incapacitated Mr. Zaino, in such a way that he is currently suffering from temporary memory loss and may never stand trial. Marc Lizza, with continuing coverage of yesterday's tragedy. Newswatch 16, Leslie?" Some woman picked up the broadcast, but I was no longer watching it. My mom turned away from the TV to look at me.

"You, Lilly, you're the one they just showed aren't you?" She was very lucid and sounded completely sober. Tears were welling up in her eyes. "Lilly, I'm so sorry. You must have been terrified!" She enveloped me in a bone-breaking hug, crying on my shoulder. I, however, was all cried out, so I just let her hang on me. I love my mom, but there was no way I could let myself get caught up in the first time she'd been sober in months, because it would only be a matter of time before she wasn't again. Then she let me go and broke the news. "Lilly, you could have died. And then, I would have missed out on most of your life. I mean, I'm always here but mostly gone…" She kept crying. "I'm checking myself into rehab. I've got a few pamphlets from this center, it's only ten minutes away, and it has a six month program. I think this is something I need to do."

"Mom? Are you…" I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I had to ask. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I'm going in on Saturday. I heard about the memorial service they're doing on Friday, and I want to be there for you when it happens. Then I'm going to go away. I'm sick Lil, and I need to get better. So I'm going to leave for a while. Will you be fine here on your own?"

"Mom, I'm not on my own. Sarah's been living here for a while now."

"Has she?" She laughed. "You see? This is why I'm going. Ok?"

"Ok. Ok mom. I'm so so happy for you. I mean, I've wanted this for so long."

"I bet you have. I love you so much Lilly." She hugged me again. "I'm going to go change ok?"

"Ok. I have to go to the police station and talk to the officer there. So, I'll be back later. Tell Sarah that if she wakes up soon ok?"

"Ok. I think I'll make lunch for her, cause I bet she'll be hungry when she wakes up."

She smiled at me one more time and headed up the stairs. I walked out the door, jumping on my skateboard to head down to the police station. I needed to have some fun, and it'd been a while since I'd skateboarded.

Somehow, it'd taken me an hour to tell the story of everything that had happened, even though, according to the news man, it had taken only 30 minutes for it to go down. The officer was very patient, speaking rarely and asking questions only where necessary. He took notes, and when I finally stopped, stood up, shook my hand and asked my number. "Thank you, have a nice day." I walked out the door with my skateboard, feeling semi-stunned. It had been far less painful then I had thought it would be, but once it was done, I felt so free. Without even thinking I jumped on my board, speeding off to where my heart was. It wasn't until I was at the Stewart's house that it occurred to me I shouldn't be there all the time. Unfazed, I knocked on the door and waited for Jackson to answer it. "Hey Lilly, how's it going?" His eyes were red like he'd been crying.

"Pretty good. Can I come in?"

"Yea yea, sorry." He opened the door and stepped aside. Miley was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Lilly! Hey!" She smiled so bright when she saw me, I almost lost it and jumped into her arms right there.

"Where's your dad?"

"I don't know. Out." She answered. I walked to her, giving her a big hug while trying not to hurt her at all. She kissed me quickly. I sat down in the chair next to her, holding her hand.

"Oh jeez, this is too weird." Jackson wiped his eyes and sat at the table across from us. "Ok. How long?"

"How long what?" Miley asked.

"How long have we been dating?" I asked too.

"Yes." Miley and I looked at each other.

"First day of school." We said in unison.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked shocked.

"Nope." Miley answered. "I was the one she called after your little party fiasco."

"Um….yea." He covered his face with both hands. "That night."

"Yea?" I laughed. "Do you even remember that night?"

"I wish I didn't." He was beat red.

"I'm glad I do." Miley said, and I looked at her. She was smiling a mischievous smile, and I was glad that _I_ could remember that night, or else I would have wondered right then about what had even happened.

Jackson uncovered his face. "What _did_ happen that night exactly?"

"Trust me. Not what she's trying to make it seem like has happened." Miley laughed a wicked laugh. "Alright Miles, you're killing me here."

Jackson turned red again. "Have you guys, you know…?"

"No Jackson." Miley answered. "We haven't 'you know.'"

He looked relieved. "What?" I asked.

"Now we don't have to have 'the talk.'"

"'The talk?'" I asked him. "And which talk is that?"

"The, 'knock it off or you're gonna get pregnant' talk."

Miley laughed so hard she snorted. "Jackson, do you really think that talk is appropriate right now?"

"Nope. But I don't have any other talks stored up." We all laughed. It was nice to just be out in the open. Well, semi in the open. A huge weight had been lifted off my chest. Miley looked down. I pushed her hair behind her ear, looking in her eyes. She kissed me again. I kept it short, not wanting to embarrass Jackson. He was 'casually' looking away. "Well this is going to take some getting used to. But as long as you two are happy."

"We are." We said together. I resisted a ridiculous urge to giggle. I wondered how Jackson was actually coping after losing Coop. But now wasn't the time to bring it up. I looked at Miley, happy to be with her.

---

Review it review it! Woo!


	20. A Second Chance

Oh look an update! Sorry for the long wait, again. I get grounded a lot.

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Some things you just can't understand unless you've lived through them. Love. Having a child. The smell of flowers. The fear of losing a loved one.

It's been two months since Chet stormed the school. He never regained his memory, and was released into the community after six weeks of rehabilitation. They had to teach him everything about his life, up until his time with Miley. They never told him about her at all, hoping to avoid everything they could that involved his attack on the school.

Miley and I were going stronger than ever. Being able to be together around Jackson was a freedom we'd never thought we could have. Or at least not for a long time. The fact that he was completely ok with us was a bonus we hadn't even thought about, because neither of us considered that possibility. We spent time with him often, when we were all free. Kind of like tonight.

We were all watching He's Just Not That Into You, and sitting on big couch. I was leaning against the one side of the couch, with my arm around Miley, who was leaning on me. Jackson sat at the other end of the couch, watching the movie. Miley played with my hand, running her fingers up and down my arm.

All the bruises along her body were gone, leaving no scars at all on her body. But the scars on her mind were lasting. I had stayed with her overnight a most of the time, and each night Miley had woken up in the middle of the night, terrified and sweating. She had been having vivid nightmares. I looked down at her as she focused on the TV, and I ran my fingers through her hair. I hated that she was still afraid after so long. She looked up into my eyes, smiling before looking back to the TV screen. My phone rang.

"Hello?" I said curiously. I hadn't recognized the number. Most people didn't answer numbers they didn't know, but I was always too curious to ignore them.

"Hi, is this Lillian Truscott?" A man asked calmly.

"Yes…" I answered cautiously. "And this is…?"

"I'm Marc Louis, a talent scout for Columbia Records. I sat in on a competition in your class a few months ago, the day that there was the…um…the incident." His tone became awkward, and I knew instantly who he was. I had seen him that day following Miley into the room. He cleared his throat. "Anyways, I was informed you were the front woman of your band, and that I should speak to you. So I'm offering you a deal, if you would like it. My boss would like to see you and your band perform an original song live, and, if he approves of you, we'd like to sign you to a record deal."

I listened the entire time, silently and in shock. When he finished speaking I said nothing still. "Miss Truscott? Um…Lillian? Are you there?"

I choked on my words, as I finally processed what he was offering. "Yes, yes of course. I'm here."

"So what do you say?" He asked nervously, sounding as if he had already been turned down.

"Yes. I say yes. I'm sure the other boys would agree. Yes a thousand times." By now both Jackson and Miley were staring curiously at me, trying to ask me with their eyes what I was talking about, and to whom.

"Ok. My boss, Mr. Reimard would like to set a meeting up with you next Saturday, which he has free. Is that enough time for you?"

"Yes it is. Just tell me where."

"I'll be in touch with you tomorrow. Goodbye."

"Bye." He hung up the phone, and I was stunned.

"Who was that Lilly?" Miley asked, as she and Jackson continued to stare at me.

"That," I said quietly, and much more calmly then I felt, "Was a talent scout from Columbia Records. He just set up a meeting with our band and with his boss. Tomorrow we'll decide where."

"WHAT?" Jackson yelled. "What did you just say, what!?"

"You heard me." I answered calmly. Miley looked at me with knowing eyes while Jackson jumped around screaming. "This was all on you wasn't it?"

"Not all of it. My father made the calls for me."

"I can't believe you. You knew all this time and said nothing?"

"After everything that happened that day, I forgot."

"You're amazing." I kissed her tenderly. "This could be our shot you know? Again." I bitterly remembered the Radio Disney contest.

"Don't think like that. You guys have got this. That was the toughest talent scout they have, and it turns out, he liked you."

"You sound surprised."

"Do I? I'm not." I could hear Jackson talking loudly to someone in his room. I assumed he was on the phone. "I knew you would go places from the first day we met." Her voice was tinged with a bitter sadness, but I couldn't figure out why. This was a good thing.

"I didn't know I would go places. Of course, I didn't know I would fall in love either. And look at me now." I pulled her closer to me, so that she was sitting in my lap. I kissed her cheek.

"You love me?" She asked, with that same air of sadness.

"Of course I do. Don't I say that enough?" I asked, miffed.

"No. You don't."

"Oh…well I love you, I love you, I love you." I kissed her after each 'I love you.'

"You know, you could show me another 'I love you' right here." She put her finger on her lips.

"I love you." I said again, then I kissed her on the lips. I had meant for it to be a quick kiss, but Miley wrapped her arms around my neck, adjusting herself in my lap so there was no more space between us. I kept kissing her, resting my hand across her legs.

"Ok. Enough." The voice that spoke was neither mine nor Miley's. Jackson had come back in the room, and was getting grossed out.

"Oh come on Jackson." I muttered around Miley. "Aren't guys supposed to enjoy seeing two girls make out?" She giggled.

"Not when it's your sister."

"So look away." Miley laughed, kissing me again. She put her head on my shoulder, entwining her hand in mine again. I rubbed my hand up and down her arm, enjoying the goosebumps that formed there.

"You two had better stop right now." The tone in his voice made me pull away from Miley. "Dad's home."

I slipped quickly out from under her, straightening my hair while she did the same. By the time Robbie Ray made it into the house we were all straightened up and watching the movie. "Hey there kids, how you doing?" He walked down the couch, putting his hand on Miley's head and smoothing her hair. It was a habit he'd fallen into ever since that day at school. He probably didn't even notice the way he gravitated toward her as soon as he entered the house, almost as if he believed any moment she would be gone forever. It wasn't something I would ever judge him on of course, because it was something I'd noticed I was doing too. Sitting in her class was killing me, because it was a number of minutes I couldn't spend holding her, telling her I love her, or just genuinely enjoying her presence like I should.

"Hey Dad." She casually shrugged out from under his hand. She was tired of being babied. "Jackson and Lilly have good news!" She looked at the two of us expectantly.

"We got in with a producer!"

"Oh." Robbie Ray was unsurprised. "I guess the whole thing played out?"

"I forgot you knew." Jackson was disappointed. "Well…" He walked out of the room without finishing the sentence. Miley and I just laughed. She stretched and yawned.

"Well, I'm gonna go over now." She stood up.

"Yea, I'm gonna go home." I said, standing up too.

"Ok. Night girls." Robbie Ray walked up the stairs, probably to his room.

Miley locked the front door and we walked together to the garage.

"Do you want to stay tonight?" She asked me sweetly. But, even under the hopeful smile on her face, I could see the fear in her eyes. And I was guessing she was worried about staying by herself.

"Is tonight going to be a bad one?" I asked, putting my arms around her.

She buried her face in my shoulder. "I don't know. I never do. But they're better when you're here."

"Ok. I'll stay." It wasn't as if there was any question to whether or not I would stay. Any where Miley wanted me, I would be. I followed her upstairs. She kissed me lightly as soon as we were upstairs. My heart jumped into a double time skip. She pulled away from me, and I breathed again. We'd been together for months, and that was still something I wasn't used to. I grabbed her arms, pulling her in for another kiss. This was something I _never_ wanted to get used to.

"We are never going to get to bed if you keep this up." She murmured against my lips.

"Who says I ever want to go to bed?" She wrapped her arms around my neck, closing all the space between us. I put my arms around her waist. We kissed, and there was nothing gentle about it. She tried to pull away. "Oh no you don't." I smiled, holding her close to me.

"We are going to bed." She pulled away, dragging me up the stairs. "One of us has to be responsible, and we have school tomorrow."

"Well," I said, raising an eyebrow. "If you'd really like to drag me to your bed, I will not object." She laughed that infectious laugh of hers.

"Well I would, so we can _sleep_."

By now we were in her room. "Call it whatever you want to call it. I'm ready to 'sleep.'" I put air quotes around the word sleep. I pulled some of her clothes out of her drawer, changing into a pair of her sweatpants. She changed too. "Don't you just love me in your clothes?" I said seductively.

"Lilly," Miley said in her 'you know we can't do this' voice.

"I know, I know." I muttered, dejected. "I just thought I'd try."

She put her arms around me again. "And I love that you still try." She pulled me down with her onto the bed, and I landed with a hand on either side of her head.

"This is what happens when I stop trying? I'm going to try less often."

"Alright, stop with your dirty mind. It's time to sleep. Not do what I know you're thinking of." She let me kiss her nonetheless. I collapsed on my side next to her, pulling her up into my arms as she covered us with the blankets. She buried her face in my shoulder, relaxing in my arms. "I love you." She murmured somewhere close to my ear.

"And you know I love you." I wondered how I was going to sleep tonight, knowing the woman I loved was in my arms again, and that sleeping would just be wasting the time I had with her. It was the same thought I had every night, right before I fell asleep.

She kissed me again, then tucked her head down into my chest. Slowly, her breathing evened out, and I knew she was asleep. I kissed her forehead, and, in her sleep, her arm tightened around my stomach. I rubbed her arm. It was too early for me to fall asleep, but when your girlfriend is a teacher, you make sacrifices. Mine just happened to be laying down for an hour before I could possibly fall asleep. I was quietly coming up on one hour, and about to doze off when it started. I felt it in the tensing of Miley's entire body, and I knew what was going to happen. But, in the instant it took me to wake myself enough to respond, the screaming started.

"No. No. NO! You can't do this! I didn't mean to hurt you Chet! But it wasn't working out!" She started to thrash around, her limbs crashing into my body at odd points, including an elbow straight to my stomach. I tried to catch my breath, but it wasn't coming. Miley continued to thrash, almost throwing me off the bed. I jumped up, wrapping her in blankets and pulling her into my arms. She opened her eyes, and unseeing, continued to flail.

"Miley! Miley please! It's me, Lilly. Wake up!"

All of a sudden she fell limp, and for a minute, I was flooded by the panic that struck me every time this happened. And then, she started to cry. "I'm sorry, Lilly. I'm sorry that you have to keep seeing that." The sobs rocked her, and sweat beaded on her forehead. "I am so weak."

"Miley, Miley no." I sat back on the bed with her, held her, and rocked her. "It's ok. Scary things leave lasting impressions on everyone. That was the scariest day of my life. I thought I was going to lose you."

"And yet," she murmured into my shoulder, "You don't wake up screaming in the night. I do."

"Miley, right now, you need me to be strong. My worst day was me almost losing you. Yours was almost dying. What you feel now is normal."

She wouldn't face me. "I love you."

"And I love you more."

She looked up, giving me a weak smile. "I love you more."

"Let's agree to disagree. Want to go back to sleep?" She nodded against me. I readjusted us so we were lying flat again, while I pulled her back towards my body. And I sang quietly to her.

'_Before I fall, too fast, kiss me quick, but make it last.'_

I sang the song quietly to her, until she was asleep again. I was never sure why she loved that song, but singing it to her everyday was making it grow on me. I needed to remember to download that song…

I didn't remember falling asleep, but before I knew it Miley was shaking me, and someone was banging on the door. "Miley! Miley, you're going to be late!" Robbie Ray was yelling through the door and knocking.

"Lilly, you have to get out of here." I jumped up, throwing on my clothes.

"What am I supposed to do?" I whispered back towards her.

"I don't know, I don't know!" In all the time I'd been staying over, this was the first time this had happened. I looked at the clock, we had overslept. "I forgot to set it." She said, watching what my eyes were on.

I looked around the room. "I'll go out the window." I slipped my shoes on, and headed towards it.

"Miley, are you awake?"

"Yeah Dad, yeah."

I pulled open the window, and climbed out of it. I dropped down into the bushes below. I took off at a dead run, leaving the crazy scene behind me. Once I was about a block away, I could finally breathe. A stich tore at my side, and I looked over my shoulder, wondering if Robbie Ray was suddenly going to be behind me. It was all crazy suspicion of course; I was alone. I took out my phone and dialed a number. "Hey Sarah? It's Lilly. I need a ride." As soon as I hung up, I couldn't help but laugh.

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Reviews please?


	21. The Promises of Tomorrow

So, It has been SOOOO long since I've updated. I am so so sorry. Here you go.

* * *

I rolled into school, a few hours late, walking into the office. The secretaries looked at me. "Oh, Lillian, are you late?"

"Yeah, I woke up on the…" I looked for a way to describe it, "The weird side of the bed this morning. Anyways, can you...?" I wanted her to put me in as late so I could get to class, but instead she wrote a note.

"Here you go. This will excuse you. Everyone's late sometimes." She gave me a look, than waved her hand in a way that clearly said 'don't mention it.' I left the office just as the bell rang, walking right into a solid wall of students.

"Oh, excuse me." I muttered.

"Lils! Where you been!" I looked up, seeing that it was Jackson speaking to me.

"At home." I lied.

"I've been trying to find you all morning."

"Oh? What's up?"

"Louis called this morning. Reimard's in town, and the only time he can possibly see us is this afternoon. Like, tonight."

My heart stuttered, and then kicked into overdrive. "What! I thought we had until Saturday!"

"We did, but not anymore." He laughed a shaky laugh. "At six o'clock tonight, he will be at the Stewart house, and we will be there playing for him."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

I paused. "So…tonight?"

"Lilly! Yes tonight! Get it together!"

"Ok…uh…what period is it?"

"Fifth. Come on ,we're gonna be late." He grabbed my arm, dragging me in my dazed state to class. We got inside the door just in time to take our seats before the bell rang. Miley stood up from her desk, taking role quickly.

"Ok Guys, today's just gonna be a free day. Tomorrow we'll begin a new band project, and I'll give you your assignment then. So, do whatever you want. Effectively, this is a study hall." She sat back down, and immediately the class broke into conversation. The boys came to crowd around my desk.

"So." Oliver spoke. "What are we singing? It has to be something original."

"Well…" Jackson paused, "We only have those two songs though."

I spoke. "Well then, we'll sing Chasing Cars, and then we'll sing them some covers. Like Once Upon Another Dream and Bleed it Out. Then we'll end it on that newest song we've been working on. And they'll take that, because they gave us such short notice."

The boys nodded at me like I was some kind of leader. They nodded all around, and I felt the jitters set in. I wish I could just fast forward to six o'clock.

* * *

"I'm Reimard." He shook hands all the way around, starting with the Stewart;s and ending with the band. "It's good to see you again Robbie Ray." He had a firm grip and a crisp, tailored suit. His dark hair was slicked back, and his sun glasses were hanging from the pocket in his suit jacket. "I've heard only good things about you guys," He said to us, "and I'm here tonight to see what I can do about getting you on the map. I'm in charge, and if I like you, you're in. If I don't, I bring your demos to the company, see who likes you, and you might still be in." He smiled a million megawatt smile, that gave me the impression that he's kind of a sleazeball. But who am I to judge? "I'm kind of short on time, but if we could get going? I want to hear you guys live. And I'd like to take a recording of you to the company as well, if that's alright?" He dedicated this last question to Robbie Ray"

"That's not a problem. We'll record the session you hear tonight."

"Well ok!" He smiled his sleazy smile. "Let's get started." He took off his suit jacket, hanging it across the back of one of the cushy chairs, exposing a bright green collared shirt underneath. It stretched tight across his well muscled torso. Somebody had money, and liked to display it.

I left them in the booth, leading the boys into the booth. We plugged in our instruments, going through a quick soundcheck before we began. Robbie held down a button, speaking to us in the booth. "Ok guys, get ready. We're recording tonight in audio and video, so don't act like fools. Have fun!"

The red light came on, showing us that he was recording. I stepped to the mic. "We're A Beautiful Disaster, and this is an original song of ours. It's called 'Chasing Cars.' I looked at the boys around me, they all nodded, so I started the song, moving into the guitar and the opening lines, looking through the glass at Miley, dedicating the words to her, as sincerely as I had the first time.

_'We'll do it all, everything, on our own. We don't need, anything, or anyone.'_

The first song went off without a hitch, so we moved seamlessly into 'Once Upon Another Dream.' It sounded so much better than it had on the radio with the music, and before long, we moved into the hardest song in the set, Bleed It Out. This was my favorite cover. And finally, we played our newest song, which I hoped was fantastic, though we'd only run through it twice before tonight.

"This is only the second song we've written, but we absolutely love it. It's called Sparks Fly, and I wrote it for us last week, when I was feeling inspired." I smiled to myself, and got ready to start. The song had a country pop feel to it, which I hadn't felt too sure about, but everyone thought I could pull the accent off, and it helped display the way our band didn't conform to any specific thing.

_'The way you move is like a full on rainstorm  
And I'm a house of cards  
You're the kind of reckless  
That should send me runnin'  
But I kinda know that I won't get far  
And you stood there in front of me  
Just close enough to touch  
Close enough to hope you couldn't see  
What I was thinking of_

_Drop everything now  
Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile  
Get me with those blue eyes, baby, as the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile_

_My mind forgets to remind me  
You're a bad idea  
You touch me once and it's really something,  
You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be.  
I'm on my guard for the rest of the world  
But with you I know it's no good  
And I could wait patiently but I really wish you would..._

_Drop everything now  
Meet me in the pouring rain  
Kiss me on the sidewalk  
Take away the pain  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile  
Get me with those blue eyes, baby, as the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile_

_I run my fingers through your hair and watch the lights go wild.  
Just keep on keeping your eyes on me, it's just wrong enough to make it feel right.  
Lead me up the staircase  
Won't you whisper soft and slow?  
I'm captivated by you, baby, like a firework show._

_Drop everything now,  
Meet me in the pouring rain,  
Kiss me on the sidewalk,  
Take away the pain  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile.  
Get me with those blue eyes, baby, as the lights go down  
Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around  
'cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile_

_The sparks fly...  
Oh, baby, smile...  
The sparks fly...'_

I let the final note fade, allowing the silence to come from the outside and radiate in. I thought about some of the lines in Sparks Fly, and how they were borderline risqué. I moved my hair from my eyes, looking up just in time to see the red light go out. Robbie Ray pressed down on the intercom button. "That was a very good run, guys. Come on out."

We put our instruments on their stands, and made our way out of the booth just as Robbie Ray handed over the DVD. "Thanks guys, I've seen all I needed to. You did a great job. I'll get back to you as soon as I can." And, just like that, Reimard swooped up his coat and left, with Robbie Ray following right behind him.

An awful silence pervaded the room, and I met no one's eyes. "Well, let's go upstairs, I guess." One of the boys talked, I didn't really know which. They all stepped up the stairs, kind of defeated. "You coming, Lil?"

I sat down in the chair at the controls. "Yeah, I'll be up in a bit." They all left me, until I was pretty much alone. There was no doubt in my mind who was still with me. "How'd we do?"

Her arms went around my shoulders, and she rested her face on my shoulder, right next to mine. "You did fantastic. He was just using his poker face. He loved it. Listen to this." She hit a few of the switched, rewinding one of the audio recordings. She played it back. It was a sample from 'Sparks Fly.' I didn't want to get my hopes too high, but we sounded amazing. The instruments, the vocals. Just amazing. When the line _'You touch me once, and it's really something'_ came up Miley slipped her arm around my stomach, pulling me closer to her. I relaxed a bit. Everything would play out, or it wouldn't. If we didn't make it this time, we wouldn't be losing anything. And if the producer liked us, we'd move on from there.

I hit the stop button, leaving the music where it was, and standing up from the cushy chair Reimard had occupied. I pulled Miley with me, and flipped off the light switch on the wall, cutting all the power and light in the downstairs. I held Miley's hand, standing at the foot of the stairs. I couldn't hear anything, so I knew everybody was all the way upstairs. "Lilly, what are you doing?"

"Shhh." I pulled her close, draping her hand I was holding over my shoulder, putting my lips on hers. It felt like forever since it'd just been the two of us. We were shrouded in the darkness, and it felt like nothing could ever touch us. She burned a path across my body where she touched me, and I put my arms on her waist, erasing the possibility of there being any space between us. The kiss got intense, and she pulled back and whispered in my ear.

"Lilly, I don't want to wait anymore."

There was no doubt in my mind what she was talking about. My entire body went hot, like I was on fire. "I don't want to wait either."

"Then let's not do it. Let's not wait anymore."

I pulled back a little further from her. "When? Tonight?"

"No…tomorrow. There's too much going on right now." She kissed me again. And I kissed her back once more, before we straightened ourselves out and headed upstairs, done with today, and floating on the promises of tomorrow.

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Just so you know, the next chapter is either the last one, or the second to last one. Please review. = )


	22. Nobody's Perfect

Well guys, I hate to tell you, but this is the final chapter. It's been a good run, but it's over. So read it...

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I woke up the next morning, rocketing myself out of bed and scaring the crap out of Sarah. "Jesus, Lilly!" She pulled the covers back up to her chin, and curled back up.

I jumped on her. "Sarah! Wake up! It's time for school!" I bounced on the bed, rocking her until she threw the covers back.

"Fine! Damn!" She sat up on the edge of the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. I went to my closet, trying to figure out what to wear. I was exploding with nervousness and excitement. I settled on a pair of jeans, a black v-neck, and a purple and black plaid shirt. I ran a brush through my hair and was ready to go.

Sarah came out of the bathroom, still looking as tired as a few minutes ago. "Why are you so excited?"

"Do I seem excited?" I was practically vibrating, I was so jittery. But I didn't want to tell Sarah what was happening tonight. It seemed odd to talk about. "I don't know what it is. Weird." I turned away from her, looking at myself in the mirror again.

"Whatever." She muttered grumpily. She picked up her bookbag, I grabbed my guitar, and we went to school.

We were early, so I headed to Miley's room to leave my guitar. She was sitting alone at her desk, looking down at some papers. I snuck in quietly behind her, kissing her neck and running my free hand up and down her arm. "Hey beautiful, I can't wait for tonight." I murmured quietly. She moaned softly, and I almost lost myself right there.

"Please don't do that, or waiting until even tonight will be out of the question."

I kissed her neck again. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

She stood up, turning around in my arms. "It's not. But patience is a virtue." She kissed me softly. "Now get out of here before we get caught." I kissed her again, trying to put everything I was feeling into it.

"I'll see you in a few."

"Bye." She smiled at me. I left the room, feeling her kiss all the way down the hall.

* * *

Fifth period came slowly. The whole day was dragging. I just needed that final bell to ring. Miley took role, then sat on the front edge of her desk. "Well guys, I'd like to start another band project." I avoided her eyes, trying not to think about her skin, my hands on her, her lips on mine, but it didn't work. My mind wandered, thinking of my hands on her waist, sliding up her shirt, my lips on hers, her arms around my neck, pulling me as close as possible- "Ok guys, get started." I looked around and the class was breaking into groups. I'd missed everything she said.

"Lils?" Jackson tried to get my attention. "Are you paying attention?"

My eyes drifted over Miley's legs, which were only partially covered by a knee length skirt. "No. I am definitely not paying attention." Miley looked at me and I went hot all over. I looked away.

Jackson laughed. "Wanna hang out tonight?"

"Uh…I'm kinda busy."

"Doing what?" He asked me curiously.

'_Your sister.'_ I thought to myself. "Uh…nothing?"

He looked at me curiously, then he looked at Miley, and back to me. "Oh." He said, and then he said it again. "Ooohhhh." And he burst out laughing. "You dog!" I turned bright red, and punched him in the arm.

"Shut up!"

"Maybe I'll see you tonight. You know, when you're done."

"Probably not."

"Oh, is this gonna be an all night thing?"

"Shut up. We're _really_ not talking about this."

He laughed some more, and then Jake came over. "Hey guys, we're thinking of doing a cover of 'Break Your Heart' if that's alright with you."

"Maybe we should do 'Sensual Seduction'" Jackson murmured so only I could hear him. I punched him again. "Yeah Jake, that's good." Jake went back to Oliver and Matt.

I looked at Miley, and the song ran through my head. _'I'm only gonna break break your, break break your heart.' _Miley looked at me, meeting eyes for a second. I smiled before I looked away. This day couldn't end soon enough.

* * *

After school that day I went home, dropping my books, guitar, and Sarah off. I left everything in the doorway, and drove straight to Miley's, leaving my car around the corner and sneaking to Miley's through the garage with the roses I'd brought. I knocked on the door, holding the flowers behind my back.

She opened the door, a smile brightening up her face and nearly melting my heart. I pulled the flowers out from behind me, presenting them to her. She took them. "Lilly, they're beautiful!" She set them down on the island, looking for a vase. I watched her looking around, opening cabinets, the graceful way she floated around the kitchen, and I was overwhelmed.

I walked up behind her, putting my hands on her waist and kissing her neck. "Lilly." She breathed my name, and spun around, facing me. I brought my hands up to her face, pulled her close and kissed her. She leaned back, bracing herself against the counter. And then my cell phone rang. I pulled back just an inch from Miley, and saw the call was from Jackson. I ignored it, turning my attention back to Miley.

She started to unbutton my plaid shirt, kissing me all the while and putting her hands on my stomach. I put my hands on her hips, pulling her close and trapping her hands between us. I could feel her smile against my lips. I kissed the corner of her mouth, to her chin, and down her neck to her collarbone. "Let's go upstairs," she murmured into my ear, taking my hand and pulling me up the stairs.

She pulled me towards the bed and we collapsed onto it. I dropped my plaid shirt on the floor. I propped myself up over Miley with one hand, kissing her while her hands made their way up my shirt. My phone rang again. "What?" I answered angrily, as Miley kissed a burning trail across my neck and her hands traced another one across my stomach, leaving me breathless and wiping out my anger as soon as it had begun.

"Reimard's back."

"I-what?" Miley's hands paused, and her eyes searched mine. "Why?"

"He wants to see us all now."

"Now?" I asked desperately. "I'm kind of…" I smiled down at Miley. "Busy."

"Now." The other guys are on their way. Get over here. You should bring Miley too." He deadpanned, showing no emotion.

"Fine." I snapped the hone shut. "My presence has been requested next door. Reimard is back."

I stood up, reaching out for her hand and pulling her off the bed. "They also want you there." She smiled at me. "What?"

"It's like we're doomed."

"Oh shush." I pulled her towards me, kissing her again. "We have all night." I picked y shirt up off the floor, pulling it on. When I turned around Miley was still smiling, but it was a sad smile. "Come on." I led the way down the stairs.

"You should go first. It'd be weird if we showed up together."

I looked at her long and hard. Something was off, but all I said was, "Ok."

I walked out front, and was met by a long black limo parked at the curb. I headed to the front and I walked in like I lived there, and was greeted by to the sight of Reimard seated on the couch.

"Ms. Truscott, hello again!" He seemed excited, which was a good sign.

"Hey there. What's going on?"

"Let's wait for the rest of the band to get here."

"Alright." We didn't wait long. Within the next five minutes the rest of the boys and Miley were there, seated on the couch and facing a standing Reimard.

"I took your songs to the label, and they sent me immediately back. They want you in LA right away. If you agree, tomorrow a limo will pick you up to take you there, where you'll meet with our lawyers to make a contract, and within two weeks we'll be recording an ep and setting up free concerts. If you're received well, we'll start making a full album. What do you say?"

All of us said yes, except for Mr. Stewart. "I have some questions. What about living arrangements? Supervision? Things like that?"

"Well an adult would have to accompany them until they're all eighteen. And we'll cover all necessary expenses. Travel, living, food, advertisements, studio time, all of it until they're out there."

"What about school?"

"We'll hire tutors for all the subjects they need."

"Why so generous? I've seen deals before. They're never this good."

"Because, Mr. Stewart, we're not looking for another cookie cutter pop group. These guys are versatile, and there is no chance they won't make it. And if we don't take them now, someone else will. So do we have a deal?" Reimard stuck out his hand.

Robbie Ray ignored it. "Guys?"

Jake, Matt, and Oliver all nodded. "We're 18 and we're there." Jake said.

Jackson looked at Robbie Ray. "Dad?"

"Yeah Jackson. I won't hold you back. Lilly?"

"I'm not eighteen yet. And my mom-" I stopped.

"Lilly, your mom and I had an agreement that if something ever happened to her, I'm your acting guardian. Mr. Reimard, we have a deal." Robbie Ray finally took Reimard's hand, and they shook on it. We exploded into cheers and whoops and all kinds of over the top noises.

Jackson wrapped me up in a hug. "This is really happening!"

"I know!"

When we finally settled down a bit Mr. Reimard spoke. "Well, I'm going to head back and tell the label you guys have said yes. And two limos will be here to pick you all up around 3 tomorrow. Bring whatever you think you'll need for the next two weeks, ok? Congratulations. "He and Robbie Ray shook hands again, and he left.

The boys started to leave one by one, needing to start packing for tomorrow, until I was left alone with the Stewart's. "Well, I've got to pack. See you tomorrow."

"Night Jackson." I hugged Mr. Stewart. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because your mom trusted you, and knows you can take care of yourself. But she wanted to know someone else would take care of you, too."

"Thank you."

"It's no problem, Lilly. I told you, you're family. And you should probably go pack, too."

"Of course. Bye Mr. Stewart."

"Bye, Lilly."

"I'm gonna leave, too. Night Dad." Miley hugged Mr. Stewart and we left. We headed into the garage and back to her place. We stepped into the kitchen and I kissed her. "Where were we?" I kissed her deeply, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. It took me a few minutes to realize something was wrong. Miley was crying. I pulled back some. "Miley?" She didn't look at me. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"You're crying." I wiped a tear from her cheek.

"You're leaving."

"What? No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are." She murmured the words. "You're going away."

"Oh." To LA. "So what?"

"We can't do this."

A feeling of unrest settled into the pit of my stomach. "Then we'll wait." I offered meekly, knowing that this wasn't what she meant.

"No. _This_." She barely managed a whisper. "We can't do _us._ I'm sorry." She pulled out of my arms to the other side of the island.

"Miley, no." I could hear I was begging, and I hated it. "Why?"

"You're going to be famous. We can't keep this a secret. People will find out, and they'll know I was your teacher.

I walked to where she was standing. "Then Miley, I won't go. I'll give it up. I'll give it all up for you. I love you."

"No you don't."

"I do."

"I-I don't love you. I want you to go. So go."

I felt as if I'd been smacked. As if someone had punched me in the stomach, ripped out my heart, and smacked me in the face. "Oh. Oh. If that's how you feel, I'll go." I made to leave, and, with one hand on the handle, I turned back to look at Miley. She was bent over the counter with tears rolling down her face.

The last thing I looked at was the roses on the table. A line from a long forgotten song ran through my head. _'You gave me roses, and I left them there to die.'_ And I shut the door. I made it to my car fine. And I got inside it and drove home. The sun was setting over my broken heart. And when I got in front of my porch the tears started pouring. I stumbled up the stairs, and I couldn't see which key was my house key. I slammed my hands against the door, pounding until Sarah let me in.

"Lilly, what the hell?" I pushed past her and went up the stairs to my room, sitting on the edge of my bed, hunched over with my face on my hands and my elbows on my knees. The tears poured out freely. I felt the bed sink next to me when Sarah sat down. "Lilly? What happened?" I felt her hand on my back.

"Miley dumped me."

"Why?"

"She said we couldn't work out if people found out about us. And that-that she didn't love me."

Sarah's arms wrapped around me. "Lilly, I am so, so sorry."

"I just don't understand. I don't know what happened."

Sarah didn't answer, so I just looked at her. "I don't know what to say Lilly." She still had her arms around me, and her face was so close, she leaned in and kissed me. It was only for an instant, and then it was over. "I am so sorry Lilly, I didn't…I just-" I leaned forward, kissing her again. She pulled my plaid shirt off my shoulders, and I pulled off her t-shirt. "Lilly, are you sure you want to?" Her hands paused where they were on the buttons of my jeans. "When I broke up with Oliver, it was because of you."

"Me?" Suddenly it all came into place. She had dumped him for me. Oliver had tried to set me up with Jackson as a test. This was my best friend, who'd waited for me for months. "Yes, I'm sure." I pulled off my shirt, leaning her back on the bed and helping her shimmy off her jeans. I kissed her again, running my hands over her bare skin as she undid the buttons of my jeans. A single tear rolled down my cheek as I undid her bra and she undid mine. We pressed our bodies together, and the plain desire roared through me. Lying there with her, we shared one long, passionate kiss, before we took that final leap together.

What can I say? Nobody's Perfect.

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So, that was it. Lemme know what ya thought? Reviews?

For the record, I hate unsigned reviews. And second, there will be a sequel.


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